essential requirements to develop and offer sports betting. States moving ahead with launching their own lotteries and sports betting offer include the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Maranhão and the state of São Paulo which announced the call for applications for sports betting in July.
Meanwhile the federal government is still wavering over other forms of gambling. Te commission charged with drafting the law in the lower house (itself an amalgamation of 20 laws dating back years) is looking at allowing a larger expansion of gambling overall with much of the focus on casinos and put forward its proposals in December 2021.
Te text authorises the operation of casinos, bingo halls, sports betting, online gambling, skill games as well as street lottery “the animal game.” However the exact rules for each type of game were not established nor were license fees or taxes.
Te project does though propose the creation of a new federal regulatory body for all gambling which if approved would be called Sinaj – Te National Gaming and Betting System. Te bill also proposes a database of players which would be used to help limit gambling related harm. Te bill is purposefully vague on many points so as not to upset the all important evangelical bench. In December Te President of the Chamber of Deputies Arthur Lira asked evangelical congressmen if there was any possibility that they would support the bill or reach any kind of agreement. Te answer was a resounding no.
Te debate over gambling has set two of President Jair Bolsonaro government's main allied groups into camps. On the one hand, the broad coalition Centrão is acting to approve a broad proposal that would allow for gambling and promote tourism. On the other hand, evangelicals are vehemently opposed to gambling with one member Damares Alves calling it: “a pact with the devil!”
However the Senate is also looking at legalising gambling with much of the focus on allowing for large scale casinos. Significantly one proposal put forward by Senator Ângelo Coronel would regulate the opening of casinos in hotels and has the support of the eldest son of the President: Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
P28 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Guatemala needs to update its gaming laws in order to meet AML commitments. The nation’s vulnerability to gambling and drug related money laundering was
highlighted in August 2021 when a Chinese citizen with US nationality pleaded guilty to participating in a
conspiracy to launder at least $30m in funds from drug trafficking
organizations, using bank accounts in Miami and a casino in Guatemala City. Guatemala
3
Guatamala Tinly veiled corruption
Unfortunately, corruption underpins many of the region’s governments and Guatemala is no exception. Tousands of Guatemalans took to the street in July 2021 to demand the resignation of the country’s president. It was the largest and most widespread demonstration since 2015.
Te new administration is aiming to put in place new gaming rules which could see the regulation of the market. New rules would fit in with the new president’s pro- business economic plan as President Alejandro Giammattei intends to encourage investment and support the tourism industry. Before his election Giammattei announced that if elected that he would include tax incentives and the development of tourist destinations. Casinos would be permitted in the area of Lívingston which would be declared a duty free zone. He has also stated that he intended to make it easier to open and close companies, to pay tax, and cut red tape.
For now gambling is unregulated and is only covered in extremely broad terms in the Penal Code. For years state and municipal governments have granted gambling houses licences on a local level. As this situation has continued Bill 4294 (which seeks to regulate all types of gambling) has been stuck in a legal limbo and has gone through several iterations. Te bill is though gaining impetus and if approved would create a gambling board and allow for casinos, video lottery terminals and bingo halls.
In this year’s budget the government stated that Bill 4294 needed to be approved quickly. Later this year, the Minister of Economy, Antonio Malouf, urged Congress to implement it as it would bring in foreign investment and provide a boost to the tourist industry. In addition Malouf said he wanted Congress to finally regulate gambling so that the country could meet with much wider anti-money laundering standards.
Guatemala needs to update its gaming laws in order to meet its anti-money laundering commitments and is being pushed forward by the nation’s Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Guatemalan Superintendence of Banks. Additionally Guatemala is categorised by the US State Department as a country of “Primary Concern: in respect of Money Laundering and Financial Crimes.” Te nation’s vulnerability to gambling and drug related money laundering was highlighted in August 2021 when a Chinese citizen with US nationality pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to launder at least $30m in funds from drug trafficking organizations, using bank accounts in Miami and a casino in Guatemala City.
4
Ecuador Green light for casinos?
Ecuador finally banned all types of gambling after a referendum was held under the administration of left wing populist Rafael Correa in 2010 who was President from 2007 to 2017. Recently elected President Guillermo Lasso could give casinos the green light as part of his efforts to attract tourism development. Lasso has also announced said that he will promote new private sector investment. Like other countries in the region the government will need to attract investment to the tourism sector and new tourism
laws are high on the agenda. Te first conservative to be elected in 20 years Lasso has signalled that casinos could make a comeback although he is personally opposed to gambling. Under new plans investments in the tourism sector would be exempted from income tax for 30 years.
Te tourism minister Niels Olsen Peet is also in favour of bringing casinos back once a referendum on the issue is carried out. In addition some local governments in popular tourist zones affected by an earthquake in 2016 have been pushing to allow for casinos to help aid in their economic recovery.
5
Venezuela Exciting times ahead
Between 2014 and 2020, the Venezuelan economy shrank by as much as four-fifths. In 2019 President Nicolás Maduro relaxed price controls and allowed for widespread transactions in foreign currency. Maduro says he wants sanctions to be lifted by the Biden
The government has issued 30 casino licences with the National
Commission of Casinos selling each for $350,000. In addition, operators with a casino license need to connect with a central monitoring system. All the funds raised will be
allocated to social
investment in areas. While there has been no official word from the government beyond this the message is clear: the Maduro
administration needs to create jobs and revenue.
Venezuela
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