We’ve been covering Brazil’s journey towards a regulated gambling market for a number of months. The gambling industry has been watching the situation closely, and it appears as if online gambling in Brazil has moved one step closer to fruition.
Given the size of the country, it’s no surprise to learn that the process of establishing a regulated gambling sector has been lengthy and complex. Let’s explore the latest development and discuss what it means for online gambling in Brazil.
What Has Happened So Far?
In April, we reported that the Brazilian government had outlined a four-step roadmap to gambling regulation, through which frameworks for things like payments, security, advertising and anti-criminal activity would be established.
There was another development in June, with the country passing a passing to legalise online gambling in Brazil, including both online casinos and sports betting. The Brazilian Justice and Citizenship Commission passed the bill by 14 votes to 12, from where it will go on for further review in the Brazilian Senate.
As well as online gambling, the bill promises to legalise land-based casino resorts, bingo and horseracing. In addition, the bill introduced a number of new tax rules and player protection regulations designed to maximise revenue from operators in the country and mitigate any potential gambling-related harm.
What’s the Latest Development?
Towards the end of July and beginning of August, Brazil rolled out a series of ordinances to progress the launch of the country’s regulated gambling market.
The first of these green-lighted the rollout of online gambling in Brazil, permitting the operation of a number of online games in the country. The remaining ordinances covered a range of issues, including operator inspections, revenue and tax collection, player protection and social responsibility requirements.
A final ordinance gave details on sanctions operators can expect to face should they be found to be in breach of regulations. These breaches include things like operating without a licence and obstructing state inspections, with sanctions that range from warnings to licence suspensions.
Another element to this latest development concerned advertising. Specifically, authorities clarified advertising rules, particularly advertising for online gambling in Brazil. Adverts must be responsible and not portray gambling as a ‘socially attractive’ activity. Furthermore, the government outlined a ban on influencer advertising for gambling services in the country.
Potential for Delays
Brazilian authorities have worked hard throughout 2024 to launch the country’s regulated gambling market. However, some experts predict the rollout could face delays, with the final vote in the Senate a potential roadblock.
According to CNN, the Senate president is said to believe that other matters should take priority over gambling and that the gambling bill could be pushed back while the Senate focuses on different issues first.
However, the fact that the framework seems to be largely in place means that a potential delay in the Senate isn’t the end of the world. Once the bill is finally passed, that should open up a clear path to a regulated Brazilian gambling market.
Conclusion
The road to regulated online gambling in Brazil has been rumbling on for some time but, with these latest developments, it now looks to be closer than ever. There will no doubt be further news to come from Brazil as the rollout approaches, and it’s a situation all operators will be keeping a close eye on.
