The Future Of Online Casinos Still Uncertain Amidst Brazil’s Presidential Elections
For the last two years, Brazil’s political future has been in question. The answer came down to the results of this year’s presidential bid which saw deeply opposed candidates as the top contenders. Though the race has now been won by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, it is still not certain what policies “Lula” will take over from his predecessor, and which will be discarded. For fans of gaming in Brazil, that applies to the future of the legalization of gaming across the country and online.
Brazil has chosen its next president, but what does it mean for legalizing gambling? Tutz Dias/Unsplash
A timeline of Brazil’s presidential election
The 2022 presidential race in Brazil was finally determined on October 30, 2022. Brazil’s presidential races work on a two-round system. The first race took place on October 2, 2022 and included 11 candidates. The two obvious contenders, incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (or “Lula”), were the clear favorites of the race.
However, no one candidate took 50% of the vote, which meant that the top two went on to a final vote at the end of the month. “Lula” narrowly won with 50.90% of the vote. It’s a historical election for many reasons. Bolsonaro and da Silva have vastly different ideologies and plans for the future of Brazil. Bolsonaro has also questioned the validity of the results, in line with the tactic used by former US president Donald Trump after the last US presidential election.
It is also a noteworthy fight because of Lula’s history as president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010. Lula served two terms during this period and moved forward a socially progressive agenda, with aims of fighting hunger, poverty, deforestation, and lack of rights for workers. However, the president was involved in a corruption scandal which ended his tenure prematurely.
The scandal called into question Lula’s handling of various foreign policy issues and accused him of money laundering and accepting bribes. It also included a raid on his home and the result was nine suits against him and a prison sentence. He entered prison in 2018 after an unsuccessful appeal and remained for 580 days out of a 12-year sentence.
Lula’s fortunes changed when Telegram messages between the judge of his case and the lead prosecutor were leaked to the media in 2019. They suggested that they had conspired to put Lula in prison so that he could not stand in the 2018 election and showed bias against him. Public opinion, locally and abroad, vastly changed in Lula’s favor.
The result was another hearing by Brazil’s Supreme Court, wherein the conviction was annulled. This happened officially by 2021, though Lula was released in 2019. He was therefore eligible to run again for president in this year’s election.
Bolsonaro seemed to know he was at risk of losing this year. According to The Guardian, he “spent months hinting he would not accept a loss at the polls and frequently called into question the reliability of Brazil’s electronic ballot boxes.” Now, two weeks after the vote, the military has conducted a full assessment of the possibility of vote fraud and concluded in a 63-page report that no such fraud occurred.
Now that the election results are clear and Lula’s inauguration is scheduled for January 1, 2023 in line with Brazil’s tradition, the question remains: What will become of Brazil’s highly contested gaming law?
The future of online casino Brazil regulations
Brazil has been considering the legalization of both games of chance and sports betting for a long time. 2022 was a pivotal year where two bills passed through the legislature, indicating that regulated gaming would finally come to the country. However, progress of the bills has been slow, and Bolsonaro stated he would veto the gaming bill if it came to his desk.
However, the bill might not have to go through Bolsonaro now, but rather Lula. Understandably, fans of online casinos Brazil are wondering what the fate of the bills will be. Though the debate rages on, players can still access a complete guide to finding the best online casinos in Brazil.
Up until now, it has been difficult for political experts to decide whether or not gaming stands a better chance under Lula’s presidency than under Bolsonaro’s. On one hand, its legalization and taxation offered a prime opportunity for the government to generate tax income for much-needed public works. The financial angle might appeal more to a conservative voter, but gaming expansion still brings up ethical debates.
Bolsonaro changed his tune about gaming legalization only in the run up to the recent election. Many saw this as an attempt to appease conservative, religious voters. Therefore the move might be seen as more progressive and in line with Lula’s political ideology. However, the concern about public health and gaming addiction is also one commonly voiced by progressive voters.
With all of this in mind, it seemed the issue could go either way for those who want to enjoy the best casino sites Brazil, but now good news is on the horizon. When asked by a member of the Workers’ Party (PT) recently, Lula confirmed that he would go along with the decision of the legislature when it came to the issue of gaming legalization.
That is great news for those looking for legal online casinos Brazil. Since Lula also promised major social reforms, which will require government spending, it is also logical that moves to bring in tax revenue like legalizing gambling would be advantageous. That means players will be able to continue enjoying the best casino site Brazil.
Is gaming legal in Brazil now?
Currently, Brazilians can enjoy gambling through a variety of top online casinos Brazil as well as some brick-and-mortar locations throughout the country. However, land-based casinos must be attached to hotel sites. Even with legalization, there will be a limit to how many are allowed per state, dependent on population size.
Players can still explore the best online casinos Brazil now, but keep in mind that these sites are not regulated by the government. That means there is not government oversight to ensure fairness, which is why a guide to Brazilian gaming can help in choosing the best site. Once online and land-based gaming are regulated in Brazil, players will be able to access all the best online casinos in Brazil with assurance that all transactions are regulated and licensed by the Brazilian government.
