Brazilian senate committee considering online gambling legislation today

Brazil possibly rivals only the Netherlands in its glacially slow approach to passing gambling legislation, as evidenced by bill PLS 186/2014, which has been doing the legislative rounds in several years of amendment and debate, delaying the introduction of what could be a massive gambling market that includes legalised online activity.

The latest development on this proposal will hopefully make some progress when it is voted on today (Wednesday) by the 27-member Senate Constitutional and Justice Commission after being introduced by Senators Ciro Nogueira and Benedito de Lira.

According to Fantini Research, the bill in its present form does away with the 30 percent tax rate on GGR for online gambling operators suggested earlier, replacing it with a more reasonable 15 percent, whilst land gambling GGR would receive the advantage of a 10 percent tax rate.

The measure also proposes federal government supervision of Jogo do Bicho, a popular but currently illegal lottery-style game, along with slots and video bingo…but only within casino premises and bingo halls.

An earlier proposal to permit existing hotels and horse tracks to offer casino action was rejected.

Local observers are hopeful that the Constitutional and Justice Commission will progress PLS 186/2014 to a Senate vote and the first really concrete progress so far

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