Matt Bastock Gambling Expert
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Read Full BioBrazillian federal police are attempting to block new proposed regulations for land-based casinos in the country, which are expected to pass this year otherwise. The central argument against the bill is to combat the rising fears around money laundering that have recently swept the nation.
The proposed bill seeks to legalize casino venues, bingo, and sports betting in retail outlets. Since its announcement, it has faced strong opposition due to fears that such establishments could cause addiction in the country. According to CNN, politicians like Eduardo Girão have said the proposed land-based gambling regulation would be a “mistake” for the country.
Brazil’s federal police sent the Ministry of Justice and Public Security a list of bills it would either support or oppose, which the ministry uses in its decision-making process. William Murad, deputy director general of the force, signed a document opposing the land-based gambling bill, citing that it could increase money laundering throughout the country. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security has yet to process the document.
This decision is expected to delay the bill initially passed by the Justice and Citizenship Committee in June 2024, which voted 14-12 in favor. A series of delays have occurred since, most recently in December 2024, when Senator Irajá Silvestre withdrew the legislation after a debate. Despite resistance from the Brazilian federal police, the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is expected to approve and sanction the bill in the first half of 2025.
Despite fears over money laundering from the federal police, it is believed that the land-based legislation could be a massive boost for tourism in Brazil. This is based on industry expert predictions when analyzing gambling performance in the Dominican Republic, neighboring Brazil. Despite being significantly smaller than Brazil, it brought in 10 million tourists compared to six million in 2023. Legalizing gambling could be massively profitable and help to turn things around.
In more world news, the UK high court rules that Sky Betting illegally used data for marketing.
