Brazil Moves Closer to Legal Online and Offline Gambling

As we reported back in September, Brazilian law makers were making favourable noises towards legalising gambling in the nation for the first time in 70 years - primarily due to the tax revenue which it would generate, something which would be most welcome for the financially crippled country. It seems that this could take place even sooner than we thought as a senate committee approved a bill covering both online and bricks and mortar casinos last week.

The bill could now go to the full senate for a further vote, and there is hope that unlike a similar bill last year which ultimately failed to pass the senate vote, that this time the bill could pass. Earlier in the year Henrique Alves, Brazil’s minister of tourism, projected that legalized gambling could generate up to 20 billion reais ($6.1 billion) annually in tax revenue, money which is desperately needed to help prop up Brazil's faltering economy.

Poker is already legal in Brazil as it is seen as a skill game (as is horse-betting), with live tournaments played in "poker association", but legalised online wagering would certainly be welcomed both by gamblers and the inland revenue department.