Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee prepares hearing on betting ban

On Monday (9), Justice Luiz Fux of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) decided to suspend all proceedings concerning the operation of betting companies until the Court reaches a final decision. After President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a provisional measure (MP) on September 25 banning the operation of betting houses, three companies had managed to obtain authorization to operate through preliminary court injunctions. In the Senate, the Economic Affairs Committee is expected to discuss the issue at a public hearing. The request came from Senator Veneziano Vital do Rêgo, of the MDB party from Paraíba. Veneziano wants to understand the economic and social impact of the ban on sports betting and online gambling across the country. It is worth noting that the joint committee responsible for reviewing the provisional measure could be established in the coming days. This was announced on Thursday (5) by the government’s leader in Congress, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues. Randolfe acknowledged, however, that review of the measure could be pushed to 2027, should it not be possible to complete all stages of the process before the parliamentary recess. “The government is working on the possibility of voting on the MP this year. The priority would be to vote in the joint committee, then in the Chamber, then in the Senate,” he said. How long is the provisional measure valid for? Gilberto Guerzoni, legislative consultant to the Senate, explained that although the MP is valid for up to 120 days before its possible vote in Congress, in the case of the proposal that ended betting operations, the deadline will be somewhat longer due to the parliamentary recess. “In practice, a provisional measure, whichever it may be, including this one, has a term of 120 days from the date it is issued. But when Congress goes into recess, that term is suspended and only resumes running once the recess ends, right? Congress will go into recess on December 22 and will only return in the new legislative session starting February 2,” he added. The date of the public hearing has yet to be set. The provisional measure that suspended the activity in Brazil is valid until March 4. O post Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee prepares hearing on betting ban apareceu primeiro em iGaming Brazil.