The Brazilian Senate has okayed a new bill that will increase gambling taxation by one percentage point over the next three years, from 12% to 15%. Strengthening player protection is also part of the new measure.
On Wednesday, 17 December, Brazil's Senate rejected a request to fast-track a bill that would legalize casinos. Senators voted 36–28 against moving Bill PL 2.234/2022 straight to a final vote. As a result, the bill will continue through the normal legislative process. The Senate also approved a separate casino bill changing sports betting taxes on the same day. This bill also includes rules for bingo halls, jogo do bicho (animal lottery games), and horse-race betting.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre announced the possible fast-tracking at the opening of the Senate’s final session of the year. The bill has already passed the Chamber of Deputies and has a positive report from Senator Irajá of the PSD party. Opposition senators didn't take this well, especially those from the evangelical caucus. This group said legalizing gambling could increase addiction and make crimes like money laundering easier.
PL 2.234/2022 has been under Senate review since 2022. It was approved by the Constitution and Justice Commission in June 2024. The proposal was first introduced in the Chamber of Deputies in 1991. Since the urgency request failed, Senate leaders must now decide when to schedule a full debate and a vote.
The Senate slowed down the push to legalize casinos, but lawmakers were far more united on one point: taxing betting more heavily. A Quaest survey found that around 90% of federal deputies support higher taxes on online betting.
Most of them cite the need to help the government hit its fiscal targets. The survey interviewed 167 of the 513 deputies between 29 October and 11 December and has a margin of error of seven percentage points.
The Senate's decision means betting sites will pay more tax and face stricter responsibility rules. Lawmakers approved a gradual increase in taxes on betting operators to support the government’s goal of balancing the 2026 budget.
Currently, the tax rate is 12%, but it will rise to 13% in 2026, then increase again to 14% in 2027. This rate is expected to reach 15% in 2028. The government plans to split the additional revenue evenly. Half of it will go to social security, and the other half will go to public health programs.
This measure also strengthens oversight. Not only betting companies, but also advertisers and institutions that work with them can be held accountable. Any agency that promotes or continues doing business with unlicensed betting sites after receiving formal notice may be jointly liable for the taxes.
Higher taxes and tighter enforcement for betting operators are just one part. Brazil has also moved to strengthen player protection. The gambling regulator, the SPA, has launched a centralized self-exclusion platform that applies nationwide.
This system allows players to voluntarily block themselves from all gambling accounts. Once registered, their taxpayer ID (CPF) is prevented from creating new accounts and from receiving targeted gambling advertising. Users can choose an exclusion period of between one and 12 months. Further, players can use it to access information about gambling and take a mental health self-assessment.
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