Brazil Introduces Consultation Service for Sporst Betting

  • Consultation period launches between July 30 and April 31
  • Brazil looks to enforce better customer protection
  • The government is reaching out to the UK and Portugal for advice

Brazil has launched a new consultation imitative, reaching out to members of the public to discuss how the future sports betting market will be regulated.

Brazil Launches Consultation Initiative

Preparing for a quickly-expanding sports betting industry, the Brazilian Ministry of the Economy has officially introduced a consultation initiative which will give the public a month’s time to share opinions on the development of a framework that will regulate the betting vertical. This initiative also comes amid urges that the country should better regulate its market.

The consultation kicked off on July 30 and it will be running until |August 31, with public stakeholders sharing their vision of what sports betting in the country should look like. This initiative is carried out by the Secretariat of Evaluation, Planning, Energy and Lottery (SECAP), which is a division under the Ministry’s Special Secretariat of Finance and specifically tasked with helping set up the industry.

Gauging the Public Opinion

The shareholders and members of the public have been asked a number of questions and specifically whether a fixed number of licenses should be made available or whether only companies fulfilling certain standards should be awarded the licenses.

The Secretariat is equally hoping to find out more about how the public expects the government to regulate the industry, including:

  • Monitoring
  • Control
  • Enforcement

A number of other potential issues have also been brought, including fraud prevention, player data safety, anti-money laundering (AML), and market integrity, i.e. targeting monopolies and preventing the establishing of such.

Launching the Industry with Provisional Measure 846/18

Brazil is preparing to launch its sports betting industry, following the passing of Provisional Measure 846/18, which was signed by outgoing President Michel Temer and tentatively endorsed by the new government.

The country’s sports betting market is potentially worth billions and regulating it would help fund public initiatives, lawmakers hope. The Ministry has also said that the initiative is a direct result from the Ministry’s efforts to provide future bettors with better protection across the board .

Meanwhile, Brazil’s government has reached out to Portugal and the United Kingdom to seek advice on how to launch and regulate the industry. Presently, the country’s offshore gambling market is estimated at BRL$4.3 billion, but specialists suggest that the numbers are in fact much higher.

Can Brazil bring the sports betting bacon?

Aran Malik

“Magic Malik”—as we like to call him—is not only a tech whiz but a wizard when it comes to getting obscure news hot off the press so we know exactly what’s happening and can explore and report it back to our growing and loyal readerbase.

Brazil Gets a New Casino Bill, Approval Awaited

  • New bill introduced in a bid to legalize gambling
  • The combined legal and illegal market in Brazil hits R$50bn annually
  • A total of 32 casino properties could open in Brazil should the bill be voted and approved

Brazil is getting closer to a fully regulated sports betting industry that would potentially cater to millions of sports betting enthusiast in one of the largest untapped markets in the world. Now, a new bill targeting casinos is on the cards.

Land-Based Casinos a Reality in Brazil

Brazil is almost done regulating and establishing its sports betting industry, and now that this is sorted, casinos are next on the line. Brazilian Chamber of Deputies Member Paulo Azi has submitted a new bill titled PL530/2019.

The purpose of the document is to see the casino industry in the country fully legalized, albeit with a few wrinkles that would need to be observed. The bill suggests the expansion of Integrated Resorts (IR), similar to what Japan is currently planning on building.

On the territory of integrated resorts, businesses would be allowed to run casino gaming, which would account for 10% of the available space. As is customary for such projects, more properties will be introduced, including shopping centers, theme parks, spas, and more.

Reading the Bill Up Close

Presently, the bill envisages such resorts to be built based on the population of individual states. As per PL530/2019:

  • States with population <15 million – A maximum of one IR
  • States with population 15 -25 million – A maximum of two IRs
  • State with population >25 million – A maximum of three IRs

In total, the Bill would allow 32 such properties to open, offering plenty of wiggle room for potential investors to make up their minds. Each IR would be granted a license for 30 years of operation and obtaining such a license would be allocated through a tender process.

In terms of tax, the law is rather accommodating towards the casinos with only 10% of their Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) being paid as tax. The proceedings will be divvied up between Brazil’s General Tourism Fund and the National Public Security Fund.

Curbing Illegal Gambling

Mr. Azi has explained that the rise of gambling in Brazil was undeniable. The industry is already relevant to the country, but laws have so far failed to establi a working framework. Based on his statement, the combined illegal and legal gambling markets in the country account for R$50 billion each year.

He believes that stopping illegal gambling would lead to boosting the overall finances of the government. Furthermore, a legalization of the industry would mean new job opportunities in cities hosting the Integrated Resorts, Mr. Azi explained.

Should Mr. Azi’s plan garner governmental support, it will become the second important development for the gambling industry in the country. In December, the outgoing President Michel Temer signed PL846/2018 opening up the way for sports betting in the country.

Sophia Rojas

Growing up around law firms, Sophia keeps our team of reporters atop any legislative developments to follow up with a welcomed dose of positive news as our house trivia nut!