Brazil Casino Legislation Postponed Again as Decades-Long Consideration Continues
Posted on: July 10, 2025, 10:15h.
Last updated on: July 10, 2025, 10:23h.
- Legislation to allow land-based casinos in Brazil has been set aside
- Casino bills have been considered in Brasilia since 1990
- Brazil authorized iGaming with sports betting in 2024
Brazil casino legislation has been shelved yet again as Senate leaders chose to defer a bill passed by the lower chamber of the National Congress that sought to authorize resorts with slot machines and table games, along with other forms of gambling.
SBC News Brazil, a media outlet focused on gaming developments in South America’s largest country, reports that leaders in the Federal Senate, having only a minimal quorum to consider legislation, decided to fold on Bill No. 2234. The legislation has been idling the National Congress Palace since the Chamber of Deputies passed it in June 2024 with a 260-238 vote.
Yesterday and today, given today’s quorum — 56 out of 81 senators — we have eight or nine senators who are outside Brazil on special mandates, and I spoke with all of them. They requested that the presidency postpone the deliberation as they would like to be present on the day this matter is voted on,” said Senate President Davi Alcumbre, as reported by SBC News Brazil’s Ana Maria Menezes.
“We have senators abroad who have clearly stated they support this bill, and we also have senators abroad who are against it,” the Senate boss added.
Casinos Delayed, Again
Brazil, the world’s seventh most populated country with 212 million people, has been mulling the liberalization of casinos, bingo games, parimutuel wagering, and lottery-like Jogo de Bicho for decades. Some of the biggest global gaming operators, chiefly Las Vegas Sands, have been keeping close tabs on the perpetual legislative review in Brasilia.
Supporters say casinos would help further grow Brazil’s tourism sector and could attract major conventions, not unlike what Sands did in Las Vegas and Singapore. Backers say the multibillion-dollar casino developments, or integrated resorts, would spur the national economy with new investment, jobs, and local and federal tax revenue.
The late Sheldon Adelson, the founder and longtime chair and CEO of Sands, said during a 2017 trip to Sao Paulo that he was interested in developing “one or more integrated resorts” in Brazil. Eight years later, the National Congress still hasn’t decided on casino liberalization.
With Brazil being a highly religious country, many lawmakers say their constituents don’t want slots and table games. Conservatives claim Brazil’s 2024 embrace of online sports betting and casino gambling has been a disaster.
Making a mistake once is understandable. Making a mistake twice is not,” said Sen. Eduardo Girão (New Party- Ceará).
The National Congress passed its iGaming and online sports wagering bill to give the many gamblers who were utilizing illegal, underground gambling dens and bookmakers controlled by gangs and illicit criminal organizations a safe, regulated place to play.
Other countries in South America that have some form of casino gambling or legal gambling houses include Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Future Unknown
Brazilian lawmakers first introduced a land-based casino bill in 1990. With this week’s pause, when, or if, casinos come to the South American country is anyone’s guess.
New global gaming markets continue to shrink. Brazil’s exit for 2025 follows lawmakers in Thailand folding on their casino bill, too.
Like Brazil, Thailand was to attract considerable interest from many prominent casino companies.
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