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Senators are calling for the bill to be considered by multiple committees, not just the Constitution Justice and Citizenship Committee.


BRAZIL LEGISLATION Lawmakers clash over Land-based Bill


Lawmakers in Brazil are clashing over the future of the land-based gambling expansion bill with concerns around addiction and mental health.


Paraguay - Crackdown on illegal slots Paraguay’s Public Ministry has formalised an agreement between the Ministry of Childhood and Adolescence and Conajzar to toughen protection measures for children and adolescents against the proliferation of illegal slot machines.


According to the regulator slot machines are being installed clandestinely, and are often easily accessible in venues frequented by children and adolescents. Conajzar estimates that the number of illegal machines stands at around 150,000. The announcement comes as slot machines that have been installed illegally are being seized. However, while this is happening, more machines are being installed in other locations.


Carlos Liseras, head of Conajzar said that the very high number of illegal slots was highly concerning. In a conversation with radio Universo 970/Nación Media, he indicated that these machines create addictions in children and adolescents. “They can even fall into the clutches of criminal gangs that sell drugs and lead these children to commit offences. It is a regrettable situation that we are facing,” said Liseras, who also spoke about the actions Conajzar has taken to curb illegal gambling.


Chile - Enjoy presents restructuring proposal In the context of the Judicial Reorganisation process initiated in January 2024, and with the aim of guaranteeing its financial continuity and ensuring the sustainability of its operations in the future, Enjoy S.A. has presented a proposal for a Restructuring Agreement to its creditors through a document filed in the 8th Civil Court of Santiago. The document will be submitted to a vote of the creditors on June 18.


“The plan considers the restructuring of obligations, the sale of operations, and the raising of new resources to finance operations in the short term. What we propose seeks to responsibly sustain our commitments to suppliers, customers, shareholders, and communities where we are present, as well as with our 5,300 employees,” said Enjoy’s president, Jaime Maluk.


In parallel, the company continues with its asset sale strategy. Enjoy S.A.’s general manager, Esteban Rigo-Righi, stated that “we continue to advance in this path, as we have informed there is interest from different operators and investors who have already visited our properties, from whom we expect to receive binding offers.”


In January, Enjoy announced that it was undergoing another restructuring, the second in just two years. Enjoy described a series of reasons for not reaching its growth projections, including “liquidity constraints and the slow post-pandemic recovery”.


P8 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS


Lawmakers have clashed over the future of Brazil’s land-based gambling expansion bill PL 2,234/2022. In a motion, Senator Eliziane Gama requested that the bill should be considered by the Committees on Economic Affairs (CAE); Social Affairs (CAS); and Public Safety (CSP) and not just the Senate’s Constitution Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ).


In defending her motion, Eliziane expressed concern over the aggravation of gambling addiction. She cited statistics from the United States which she said illustrated the negative impact of casinos on public safety and mental health.


Senator Zenaide Maia declared her opposition to the legalisation of gambling stating that the tax revenue from gambling establishments would not offset the losses of families. “If you want to destroy a young person’s life, give them an addiction,” she said.


According to the Brazilian Senate News Agency,


Senator Damares Alves also joined the call for a deeper debate so that the senators elected in 2022 could express their position on the issue in the committees. Senator Leila Barros emphasised the seriousness of the issue, which, according to her, would compromise the mental health of the population.


Senator Cleitinho appealed to the CCJ to be conscientious and also declared his opposition to the bill. Carlos Viana predicted that casinos would generate “cursed money” that would not balance the public accounts.


Senator Eduardo Girão also expressed his opposition to the bill. Te senator emphasised his indignation at the fact that lawmakers were discussing the legalisation of gambling at a time of public emergency in Rio Grande do Sul, due to the intense rains that have been affecting the state. Girão believes that the return of bingo halls and casinos represents a “tragedy” for the country, as they are linked to money laundering, corruption, and financial losses for families.


Brazil Subcommittee to regulate sports betting


Brazil's Chamber of Deputies has approved the establishment of a Permanent Subcommittee on Sports Betting Regulation. Deputy Luciano Vieira highlighted the importance of regulating sports events to maintain credibility of and prevent financial harm to Brazilians.


Te subcommittee's installation and president election are scheduled for Wednesday (May 21). Despite lacking a specific work plan, its focus will likely involve ensuring fair play and preventing manipulation in sports betting. In his justification for the creation of the subcommittee, Deputy Luciano Vieira emphasised that Brazil is a country which is hugely passionate when it comes to football.


“Terefore, the sport is the most valued in the nation, moving billions annually. According to the CBF (Te Brazilian Football Confederation), football alone moves around 0.75 per cent of the


country's GDP. However, this market has been under attacks [and this] compromise the sport's credibility and discourages Brazilian fans."


Te senator went on to argue that "it is essential to present new legislation that actively regulates sports events. Brazilian fans need to be completely assured that the match results are based solely on the technical capacity of the teams, without any doubts about bribes and manipulations.


"Te intervention of the State in this matter is necessary to prevent fans from losing interest in attending events, to avoid financial harm to Brazilians from manipulated bets, and to prevent a decline in the economy due to the contraction of the sports market,” he said.


However most of the work set out by the newly created committee has already been done or is taking place.


Brazil


Te Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) has issued a new ordinance outlining the technical and security requirements for betting systems, sports betting, and online gaming platforms. Te ordinance, published in the Official Gazette, mandates that operators establish betting services and store corresponding data centres in Brazil.


Operators are required to use electronic channels with the domain registration ‘bet.br’ to help users differentiate between licensed and illegal betting platforms. Additionally, all bets must be certified by authorised laboratories, and operators must submit information regarding bettors, wallets, and bets to the SPA for monitoring.


Split into seven chapters, the ordinance states that specific regulations from the SPA will dictate the penalties that operators may face in the event of non compliance and that the technical requirements for online games will be followed up later.


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