Brazil Senate President Davi Alcolumbre postponed the legalisation vote on Bill 2234 on July 8. The bill would allow retail gambling across the country.
Only 56 senators attended the legislative session. Alcolumbre called this a “low quorum” for such significant legislation.
“The quorum is very low – 56 senators. And this Presidency cannot be questioned, at all times, about the deliberation of matters,” Alcolumbre said during the session.
He cited “great divergence and the absence of senators” as additional factors. Alcolumbre announced he would “remove it from the agenda ex officio.”
The Senate President didn’t provide a future consideration date for when the bill might return to the floor.
Alcolumbre cited both low attendance and significant disagreement among senators as reasons for the delay. The absence of key senators made him uncomfortable proceeding with the vote.
The bill has been pending for over 30 years since its original introduction in 1991. Alcolumbre acknowledged it’s “long overdue” for a vote.
He reportedly met with colleagues on official trips to discuss the legislation. The postponement allows consultants to participate in debates and final decision making.
Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies approved the bill in 2022. The Senate committee also granted approval in June 2024.
The legislation has moved through various stages of the legislative process over three decades.
The legislation would allow casinos, bingo, horse racing and jogo do bicho across Brazil. These forms of retail gambling have been banned since 1946.
Only companies based in Brazil would be permitted to operate retail gambling. Operations would be restricted to locations previously authorised by the government.
Land-based gambling and casinos were outlawed in Brazil in 1946. The ban has survived numerous legalisation attempts over the decades.
Opposition arguments have typically focused on moral concerns about gambling. These arguments have repeatedly blocked previous legalisation efforts.
The proposal received approval from the Senate committee in June 2024. It originally started in the legislative system in 1991.
If the Senate eventually approves Bill 2234, it would go to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s office. He would provide final sanction before the bill becomes law.
The Senate vote represents the final legislative hurdle before presidential review. Alcolumbre’s postponement extends the three-decade wait for retail gambling legalisation.
Brazil’s Finance Minister Fernando Haddad called for stronger taxation against sports betting companies on July 8. He accused operators of profiting massively while contributing little to job creation or the national economy.
The timing of the postponement coincides with broader discussions about gambling regulation in Brazil. Online sports betting has already been legalised, but retail gambling remains prohibited.
No timeline exists for when the bill might return to the Senate floor for consideration. The postponement leaves the legislation’s future uncertain.
At whichever point Brazil’s parliament may approve the legislation, it would then be sent to President Silva’s office for final sanction before being authorised into law.
