Brazil Casino Bill pitched as a sweetener for Tourism

Brazil is set for further sweeping regulatory changes to gambling in 2025, as the Ministry of Tourism outlines its support for legalising land-based casinos and gambling venues.

Last week, Tourism Minister Celso Sabino emerged as a vocal proponent of Bill 2234/22, which would allow for physical casinos, bingo halls, the jogo do bicho numbers game, and horse race betting. Sabino’s approval was voiced during a meeting with BRICS nation ministers in Brasília, where he reiterated his belief that the bill represents a growth catalyst. 

“As a government body focused on tourism development, we support the proposal, as do other ministries. We want to attract more visitors and encourage domestic travel,” he stated.

The proposal promises not only to end Brazil’s decades-long prohibition on casino-style gambling but also to reshape the national tourism strategy by integrating regulated gaming into the country’s broader economic development framework.

Though unconfirmed, Sabino told local media that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is inclined to sign the bill into law if it passes Congress, an assurance that signals executive alignment with tourism-focused reforms.

Brazil’s tourism sector took a seismic hit during the global pandemic and has struggled to regain visitors from neighbouring countries. The authorisation of casinos is being pitched as a pragmatic solution to this challenge, one with the potential to attract foreign capital and boost regional economies.

Yet optimism alone will not carry this legislation through the Senate chamber. Although Bill 2234/22 has already passed the lower house — narrowly, with 246 votes in favour and 202 against its progress through the upper chamber is proving more contentious. The bill scraped through the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) in 2023 by a margin of just two votes.

Roulette of land-based Reforms

Now, Senate President Davi Alcolumbre has indicated his intention to bring the bill to a plenary vote before the end of the semester. Senator Irajá (PSD-TO), who serves as rapporteur, insists there is sufficient support to approve the legislation, citing informal counts of at least 41 committed votes nine short of the more comfortable majority Senate leaders would prefer. 

Ongoing negotiations between Congress and federal ministries, including the Treasury and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, suggest that consensus remains fluid.

At the heart of the bill is a proposed regulatory framework introducing new tax instruments. A 17% levy, labelled the Economic Domain Intervention Contribution for Games (CIDE-Jogos), would apply to gross gaming revenues, while corporate income tax on net prizes would be fixed at 20%. 

The Federal Police has also weighed in, supporting the legislation but requesting a dedicated share of proceeds to bolster crime prevention infrastructure, particularly in anti-money laundering operations.

Public sentiment appears broadly favourable. A DataSenado survey conducted in April 2025, reflecting the views of 44 million Brazilians, found that 60% support the legalisation of gambling, with three-quarters believing the current prohibition to be ineffective. These findings have emboldened proponents, who argue that regulation and taxation are preferable to a shadow market of illegal gaming already entrenched across the country.

Prohibitionists Remain 

Still, opposition remains vociferous and ideologically anchored. Members of the influential evangelical caucus—including Senator Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG) and former minister Damares Alves (Republicanos-DF)—have pledged to resist the bill’s passage. “We will try to stop it by all possible means,” Viana told Estadão. Alves was more forceful: “We will fight very hard against this, extremely hard.”

Critics point to familiar concerns around gambling addiction and financial crime. Marivaldo Pereira, Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the Ministry of Justice, has warned that the bill may “open the door too widely for organised crime, especially in terms of money laundering,” arguing that the potential revenue windfall does not justify the expected social and public health costs.

Timeline needed urgently 

Compounding these concerns is the absence of a concrete legislative timeline. Though Alcolumbre’s statement offers some clarity, uncertainty persists regarding when a final vote will take place and whether the bill will secure the necessary majority. 

For investors and regional development agencies eager to capitalise on new revenue streams, the lack of a definitive schedule has tempered enthusiasm. Until the government provides a firmer legislative calendar, the market will remain hesitant, and opponents emboldened.

President Lula’s apparent readiness to sign the bill could, in theory, calm nerves and energise the pro-reform camp. Whether the legalisation of casinos emerges as a defining tourism policy or a footnote in Brazil’s legislative history will depend not just on support, but on the timing, clarity, and coordination of the vote itself.