Brazil’s long-stalled bill to legalise land-based casinos inside integrated resorts is back in focus, with supporters pushing for a Senate plenary vote before the country’s second-half 2026 election season closes the window.
Bill 2,234/2022 (PL 2234/2022) would legalise casinos within integrated resorts — tourism complexes combining hotels, convention centres and entertainment venues — alongside bingo and the traditional jogo do bicho animal-based lottery. Authored by Federal Deputy Renato Vianna (MDB/SC) and reported in the Senate by Senator Irajá (PSD/TO), the measure has cleared committee but remains stuck on the Senate plenary agenda. Its outcome matters to global casino operators eyeing one of the world’s largest untapped gaming markets, and to a Brazilian public already wary after a wave of online-betting harm.
Key Facts:
• PL 2,234/2022 would permit 61 gaming venues nationally, including integrated resort casinos — igamist, June 2026
• Backers project up to $70 billion in direct and indirect investment — Bruno Omori, IDT-CEMA
• The Constitution and Justice Committee approved the Senate report on June 19, 2024 by 14 votes to 12 — Senate records
• A request for an urgent floor vote was rejected in December 2025 by 36 to 28 — iGaming Business
What the bill would change
Brazil banned casinos in 1946, and PL 2,234/2022 represents the most advanced attempt in decades to reverse that. The text ties casino licences to integrated resorts rather than standalone gaming halls, a model designed to anchor gambling inside larger tourism developments. Supporters argue the structure mirrors regulated markets such as Singapore and the United States, where gaming typically accounts for only 25% to 30% of resort revenue, with the remainder coming from hospitality, conferences and dining.
The investment case is the bill’s loudest selling point. Bruno Omori, president of the Institute for Tourism Development (IDT-CEMA), has projected up to $70 billion in direct and indirect investment if the framework passes, with 61 gaming venues permitted across the country.
Why the vote keeps slipping
Despite committee approval, the bill has repeatedly failed to reach the floor. In December 2025, the Senate plenary rejected a request to fast-track the measure by 36 votes to 28, leaving it parked on the agenda. The government’s Senate leader, Jaques Wagner, has previously said there is no political climate to vote on the matter, citing public backlash against the rapid growth of online betting.
Opposition is organised. The Senate’s evangelical caucus, led by Senator Carlos Viana, has publicly committed to blocking legalisation on moral and social-harm grounds. That resistance sits against a backdrop of mounting concern over gambling-related debt in Brazil, where the regulated online betting (bets) market launched at the start of 2025 and quickly drew scrutiny over consumer protection.
Industry advocates insist 2026 is the realistic window. “A significant change could take place in 2026 with the vote on Bill 2234/22, which legalises casinos in resort and tourist complexes, as well as bingo and the traditional jogo do bicho,” said Magnho José, president of the Brazilian Institute for Legal Gaming (IJL). (Yogonet)
What happens next
The timing is tight. Backers want the plenary to act in the first half of 2026, before campaigning for the second-half elections makes a contentious social vote harder to schedule. If the Senate passes the bill, it would return to the Chamber of Deputies for review of any changes before reaching President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. If it stalls again, the legislation risks sliding into 2027.
For operators and regulators alike, the open questions are licensing cost, the number of resort concessions per region, and the responsible-gambling safeguards that would accompany legalisation — the same consumer-protection issues that have shadowed Brazil’s online betting rollout.
FAQ
Q: Are casinos legal in Brazil right now?
A: No. Casinos have been banned in Brazil since 1946. PL 2,234/2022 would legalise them within integrated resorts if it passes the Senate and is signed into law.
Q: How many casinos would Brazil allow?
A: The bill would permit 61 gaming venues nationally, including integrated resort casinos and tourism-focused casinos, according to industry analysis.
Q: When could the Senate vote?
A: Supporters are pushing for a plenary vote in the first half of 2026, before the second-half election season; a December 2025 fast-track request was rejected 36 to 28.
For context on how other jurisdictions are structuring casino access, see our coverage of New Zealand’s online casino licensing rules and the latest Macau gaming-revenue trends. The urgency-vote rejection was reported by iGaming Business.
This article is informational analysis only and is not betting or financial advice.
Gambling carries financial risk and can be addictive. If you or someone you know needs help, visit GamCare (UK), call 1-800-GAMBLER (US), or see our Responsible Gambling page.
