SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Brazilian Senator Angelo Coronel has been appointed as the Senate Economic Affairs Commission Rapporteur for Bill 3,626/2023, the federal legislation to regulate nation-wide betting and gaming.
Rapporteurs play an important role in the Brazilian legislative process, as they report on developments within Commission meetings regarding certain legislation and ultimately make clear any final proposed amendments these committees may have to bills.
Coronel appears to have already presented amendments to the Betting Regulation Bill, one to legalise all types of games in Brazil and the other to repeal the Criminal Misdemeanors Law.
A member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) – which has the single largest number of Senators in the upper chamber of Brazil’s legislature, despite not being in government – Coronel seems to have a record favourable towards gaming regulation.
The Senator for Bahia was previously the rapporteur of the Bill to legalise resort casinos, although this has not yet been passed. However, he had also proposed amendments to the in-development betting regulation bill which would legalise other forms of gambling.
Coronel’s main argument in favour of this expansion of the Bill’s agenda was that it would boost state revenues. He said at the time: “The regulation of sports betting promoted by Provisional Measure 1182 is timely and valuable. The income potential of an economic activity already incorporated into the lives of Brazilians only confirms the certainty that the proposal is welcome.
“The path opened, in order to break with paradigms of a moral nature, allows us to delve deeper into the issue and propose broader changes in our legislation, regulating, for example, the so-called games of chance, especially in resorts.”
The Betting Regulation Bill was passed by the Chamber of Deputies, Brazil’s lower house, on 13 September, complete with amendments outlined by Rapporteur’ Adolfo Viana, also a Social Democrat.
Heading to the Senate, the Bill set out a framework for legal Brazilian sports betting, including provisions for wagering on esports, igaming and online casino, taxation, advertising and marketing standards, sports integrity and player protection.
Upon reaching the Senate, the Sports Commission (Cesp) subsequently proposed 54 amendments, as reported by Rapporteur Romário de Souza Faria – the former national footballer popularly known simply as Romário.
Both the Cesp and the Economic Affairs Commission, with respective Rapporteur’s Romário and Coronel, will now review the legislation over the next 45 days, as ordered by Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco.
Following both reviews, the legislation – complete with any proposed amendments – will be submitted to the Senate Plenary. On 11 November, the agenda will be closed due to the constitutional emergency regime.
Developments in the Senate indicate that Brazilian regulated federal sports betting, as first proposed by President President Lula Da Silva of the governing Workers Party (PT) in July, is on the horizon, something a plethora of domestic and international big name players are eagerly awaiting.
