Daily Archives: December 25, 2023

Key Republican lawmakers on Tuesday scolded the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) over how it levies fines and more threatening to take legislative action if changes arent made.

The agency, meanwhile, said it has abided by its rules and statutes and listed accomplishments.

It appears that the ideology is because casinos are profitable in Indiana, we should be able to fine them more, said Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown. That profitability, he added, doesnt give you the right.

Executive Director Greg Small responded that the purpose behind the agencys regulatory scheme is to drive compliance.

And, by the way, we also have a mandate in statute that economic performance of the casinos and their hiring is of the utmost importance, and we certainly respect that, he said.

They spoke at a six-hour State Budget Committee meeting that included testimony on a $1 billion Medicaid hole and an opaque quasi-public economic development agency.

I will suggest that you step up, get your house in order, and you circle back.

Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka

The blistering hour-long discussion came as the IGC attempted to obtain safe harbor for regulations otherwise threatened by year-end deadlines in a Garten-sponsored overhaul approved last session.

The committee previously left the IGC off its November meeting agenda, prompting fears the agency would be unable to fulfill basic regulatory functions.

Garten accused the agency of just charging whatever the heck it wants to casinos in the form of fines and fees.

Indianas gambling industry, like most others, is heavily regulated. Casinos sometimes fail to withhold winnings for delinquent child support, prevent underage gambling, prevent self-excluded former gamblers from getting back on the floor, and more and are regularly fined for those violations.

Garten noted that for the past five years, Indianas casinos collectively paid more money in fines with each year until 2023. The observation was based on seven years of settlement data the IGC included with its proposed fine schedules, obtained by the Capital Chronicle.

Garten said hed begun meeting with commission staff over his concerns about a year ago, and questioned why this years settlement amounts were lower.

It seems to me that we started meeting started putting a little bit of scrutiny, started asking a few questions and very subjectively, actions changed within the agency, Garten asserted.

Small responded, I dont think anything specifically changed.

Small said the amount could grow because the 2023 data covers just half the year. And he said that, by June, the agency had instituted a fine schedule with changes to child support and licensing violations based on feedback from casino executives as part of its efforts to comply with the new law.

So the accountability factor is what caused you to reevaluate? Garten pressed. Small said the agency had received little feedback prior.

Garten told Small there were major, major issues within the IGC. He said the discussion shows the subjectivity of an agency.

But he wasnt finished.

Garten also implied the IGC has a culture issue.

Small called his agency professional, knowledgable and fair. He noted that the IGC has opened three casinos since 2017 and is working to manage the opening of another. He also highlighted regulators work in navigating the 2019 launch of sports wagering, investigators busts of illegal animal fighting rings and oversight of charitable gaming.

My folks, I hold them accountable, he concluded. They know the subject matter because they have to. What we do is very complex; we cover a lot of different areas. Weve got a lot of folks (that) I think do a great job.

Garten went on to read aloud anonymous complaints from casino operators.

Those operators called Indiana the most punitive state we operate in and said they feared retribution from Deputy Director Jenny Reske, according to what Garten read.

Earlier, Garten critiqued the agency over what he repeatedly termed automatic fines.

Nothing on our schedule is an automatic fine, General Counsel Dennis Mullen responded.

Small and Mullen said that on-site gaming agents which staff casinos 24/7 investigate alleged incidents and write substantiated ones up in incident reports. The reports go to on-site supervisors, who can send them on to the agencys enforcement assistant director. A compliance committee conducts further review and can make recommendations for disciplinary actions.

Its at that point, according to Small, that the agency enters the settlement process. It sends a notice of violation to the casino, which includes a draft settlement agreement with dollar amounts. But the licensee can dispute the claims and provide additional context or mitigating factors. The two parties finalize a settlement.

Thats unless the casino declines the settlement. In that case, the agency can make an administrative complaint and have the Office of Administrative Law Judges take up the dispute, according to Mullen.

Garten countered that judicial deference to the agency puts casinos at a disadvantage, and used finger quotes to argue that the agreements are not actually voluntary.

The agency acknowledged that judges defer to its interpretation of its own rules but not in making factual determinations.

Garten additionally questioned the agency for specifying that it would default to the highest dollar amount penalties on its fine schedule.

Mullen said the language assures licensees that were not going to double dip on a fine that may technically violate one or two or more of the items on our schedule. Instead, the agency will only pursue the single item with the highest fine.

Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, also blasted the IGC for sharing a letter he and Garten wrote to the agency asking for clarifications. He spoke after the agencys presentation on its proposed rules and before other committee members began their questioning.

I felt that we could work internally and find a solution. We had no intention of embarrassing the Gaming Commission, but later discovered they could do that on their own, said Mishler, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

I cant comprehend why someone in your agency would be so compelled to share a letter that basically confirms that you dont know how your agency runs, Mishler continued. And so now, I guess I understand some of the concerns that Senator Gartens had with the lack of leadership within the agency.

The Capital Chronicle ran portions of a letter it received last month.

Mishler said we plan to offer legislation making some changes in the agency until we have a compromise.

I will suggest that you step up, get your house in order, and you circle back, he said.

When Small offered to meet, Mishler declined: Until you step up, I dont think theres a reason to meet. Theres changes you need to make, and then you circle back with us.

Mishler was unavailable for interviews on his specific grievances.

Other lawmakers questioned the need for such detailed discussion.

I dont know why we got off the track and got into their personnel and their culture and all that, said Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis. We were here to vote on the fines, not intimidate them or threaten them or back them off. Its beyond my comprehension what that was all about.

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'Get your house in order': Lawmakers admonish gambling regulation agency, which defends processes - Indiana Capital Chronicle

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia is betting big on a new gaming bill that could see new major venues open casinos, regardless of local government opposition.

The legislation (SB 1054) would allow existing gaming permit holders to move operations to a different location within 30 miles. And the legislation would allow those permit holders to ignore any local regulations barring such a transfer.

One primary beneficiary from the legislation would be billionaire Jeffrey Soffer, who owns the Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach. Soffers family also owns the iconic Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach and has pushed for legislation allowing a casino to open there.

Ingoglias bill would allow Soffer to make such a move. The legislation does restrict new gaming options in a way, saying a permit cannot be moved to a location within 15 minutes of Seminole Tribe of Florida-operated casinos in Hollywood. The Seminole Tribe of Florida recently agreed to a new Gaming Compact with the state, which is fully coming online now after a slate of legal challenges.

The Fontainebleau Hotel, however, is outside that 15-mile radius from the Seminole Tribe of Floridas nearby Hollywood casino.

The city of Miami has opposed such a move, however. Its an existential threat to our community, said former Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelberin comments to the Miami Herald.

If the Legislature goes along with (the bill) and the courts fail to do their job, theres no way this will simply be a single casino, Gelber said.

Gelber is referencing a 2018 constitutional amendment, where Florida voters approved a measure requiring any gaming expansions to be approved by the voters via ballot referendum unless that expansion only deals with gaming on tribal lands.

That same provision has led to a state-level lawsuit against the Gaming Compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the state, as that agreement allows for mobile sports betting. But the Seminole Tribe of Florida has said a referendum was unnecessary, as the servers hosting those bets are on tribal lands.

However, Gelber and other opponents to new casinos would argue that Ingoglias proposal would need to be approved by voters. Even so, many other anti-gaming advocates would likely oppose the bills efforts to override any local regulations that ban gaming expansion.

So far, no House lawmaker has filed a companion to Ingoglias bill, which the Senator filed on Thursday. The 2024 Legislative Session begins on Jan. 9.

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Blaise Ingoglia bill could open gambling options in the state - Florida Politics

Locks

NFL (1 Unit) Washington Commanders +3 @ NY Jets (-110; Odds via Caesars): 12:00 PM CT on CBS

I cant get over the fact that the Jets passed over Trevor Siemian in favor of starting Tim Boyle a few weeks ago. Now theyre stuck with Siemian today with Zach Wilson in concussion protocol, so its ironic how things work themselves out. How Siemian is going to operate an offense thats already dead last in EPA/play and success rate, behind the absolute worst offensive line in football, is beyond me.

Even against Washingtons league-worst offense, I just dont see them putting up points. Hopefully the Commanders can get a couple scoring drives put together here and claim the outright win, but Ill take the three points with a team thats 5-2 ATS as a road dog this season.

NFL (1 Unit) Cleveland Browns/Houston Texans Over 40.5 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 12:00 PM CT on CBS

Im not too worried about CJ Stroud being out again for Houston, as Case Keenum now has an extra week to work as the starter. That should help the Texans move the ball and score plenty against the Browns, who allow the most points in the league in road games.

Cleveland should also continue to put up points with their new offensive philosophy built around letting Joe Flacco chuck it all over the yard, especially since Houston is missing key defensive players. That style creates volatility and fuels higher-scoring games no matter what, so we should see these teams clear a fairly low total.

NFL (1 Unit) Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears Over 42 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 3:25 PM CT on FOX

Thanks to climate change, Christmas Eve in Chicago will look very different from what youd remember in Home Alone. Its going to be downright balmy with very light winds, putting no weather-related damper on scoring here. That should help the Bears move it with ease against a Cardinals defense that lets pretty much any opponent score at will.

Much has been made about the defensive resurgence of the Bears the past several weeks, but thats been built against an extremely easy schedule of opposing offenses. The Cardinals have moved the ball well since Kyler Murray returned, and I dont see that changing today as both teams help cash this over.

NFL (1 Unit) Dallas Cowboys/Miami Dolphins Over 49.5 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 3:25 PM CT on FOX

As I mentioned on my podcast, Im scared for my Cowboys today. Dallas runs man coverage more than just about any team in the league, and that will be trouble against all the skill position speed for Miami. As long as Tyreek Hill suits up today, I think the Dolphins can score easily against a Cowboys defense thats historically struggled on the road.

But this also has to be a bounce back spot for the Dallas offense after last week. The Miami defense is not all its cracked up to be, as theyve allowed 31.0 PPG against teams with offenses ranked top-15 in EPA/play and success rate. The Cowboys are top-5 in both metrics, and as long as they dont struggle too much on a grass field should put up plenty of points to reach this high total.

NFL Sunday Prop Picks (Odds via DraftKings)

0.5 Unit Sam LaPorta Over 47.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.75 Unit Breece Hall Over 78.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit Antonio Gibson Over 55.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit Devin Singletary Over 83.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit David Njoku Over 50.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.25 Unit David Njoku Anytime TD (+200)

0.5 Unit Dalton Schultz Over 30.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit Josh Downs Over 46.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit Tyler Lockett Over 49.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit Jaxson Smith-Njigba Over 42.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.75 Unit Rachaad White Over 103.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards (-110)

0.75 Unit Tua Tagovailoa Over 22.5 Completions (-110)

0.75 Unit Dak Prescott Over 36.5 Pass Attempts (-110)

0.5 Unit Jaylen Waddle Over 66.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit Jake Ferguson Over 43.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

0.75 Unit DJ Moore Over 5.5 Receptions (+110)

0.25 Unit DJ Moore Anytime TD (+105)

0.75 Unit Justin Fields Over 59.5 Rushing Yards (-110)

0.5 Unit James Conner Over 64.5 Rushing+Receiving Yards (-110)

No degenerates today.

Tiny Nick is 1849-1655 ATS (+83.1 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage.

Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games hes confident in. Degenerates are entertaining but riskier picks.

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Tiny Nicks Gambling Picks: 12/24 - Zone Coverage

A new reportby the Alabama Policy Institute (API) suggests that a gambling expansion would have negative repercussions.

API commissioned Dr. John Hill to prepare an in-depth report on gambling and the effects of expanding legalized gambling in the state. His twenty-page report detailed the potential pitfalls that come with the expansion of legalized gambling in the state.

The proposed bill could include: Casinos, a state-sponsored lottery, sports gambling, and online gambling that Alabamians could play from their smartphones and laptops.

In 2020 Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, commissioned a commission that showed that the state could generate an additional $200 to $300 million from a lottery, $300-$400 million from casinos, and an estimated $10 million from sports gambling producing an estimated $600 million total to further grow state government. It remains unclear what the legislature plans to do with these new resources and if the people 0f the state would see any benefit.

RELATED: Is Alabama feeling lucky about gaming in 2024?

Dr. Hill warned, however, that lottery revenues are undependable.

Since 2011, the percentage of each dollar devoted to state initiatives has fallen from 34% to 29%, while the percentage of money devoted to prizes has increased from 62% to 67%. This is because it takes bigger and bigger payouts to lure gamblers in. States that then cut the prizes to increase their revenues have seen ticket sales decrease by as much as 40%.

Those hardest hit by lottery play are those who can least afford to play. One study showed that households making less than $30,000 per year spent 13% of their income on lottery tickets, compared with just 1% for households earning $50,000 per year or more. Stores selling lottery tickets are disproportionately concentrated in lower-income neighborhoods. Poor people also bought tickets more frequently (26.1 times in the last year) than those in the two highest fifths (9.5 and 10.1 times).

There are 468 commercial casinos open in 27 states. There are also 523 Indian casinos open in 29 states including three in Alabama owned by the Poarch band of Creek Indians. That total includes 15 in Florida and 29 in Mississippi.

Hills report indicated these casinos generate more than half of their revenue from local gamblers rather than tourists. When money is spent on gambling, it is not spent on other goods and services in the same community leading to the closing of existing local businesses and reduced sales tax collections.

Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have all legalized online gambling. Since 2013, revenues from legal online gambling in the U.S. have gone from zero to 8.3% of all traditional casino and racino revenues. Sports betting has spread rapidly across the U.S. after the Supreme Court ruled that it could be done outside of Nevada.

Hills report showed that legalized gambling adds very little to the bottom line of most states. Combined tax revenues from non-tribal casinos, lotteries, sports gambling, and stand-alone electronic gambling devices represented only 1.7% of the $2.2 trillion spent by state governments in 2021. In Mississippi twenty years ago, casinos provided almost 5% of the revenue for their general fund. That percentage has fallen to just 2.14% in the current fiscal year. Gambling revenues have fallen 16% since 2008 (a drop of 39% when adjusted for inflation). This is due to competition from the tribal casinos and the allure of newer attractions in Arkansas and Louisiana.

The state of Alabama had a $43.2 billion budget in fiscal year 2023. Gambling revenues would only amount to a small percent of that and would negatively impact sales tax collections and other revenue sources.

The 14 states that allowed mobile sports betting in the 2021-2022 fiscal year collected $150 million less in revenues than the $560 million predicted by the gambling proponents.

Tourists have little reason to visit Alabama to gamble given the amount of gambling venues already present across the country.

RELATED: Givhan: 2024 gaming proposal appearing more intellectually honest than previous

Hills research shows that if additional gambling is legalized, its accessibility would undoubtedly draw people who have not gambled previously. Some of these would become problem gamblers.

The symptoms of a gambling addiction include increasing preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, chasing losses, and loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences. In extreme cases, problem gambling can result in financial ruin, legal problems, loss of career and family, or even suicide.

In states where casinos legally operate, residents were 40% more likely to have gambled in the past year, were 80% more likely to have gambled at least six times in a casino in the past year, and 50% more likely to report a gambling problem; than in states without legalized casinos. In states with legalized lotteries, residents were 280% more likely to have gambled in the past year, 900% more likely to have bought lottery tickets at least thirty times in the past year, and 70% more likely to report a gambling problem.

Hills research shows that a lottery would increase the number of problem gamblers in Alabama by 25,800 (37%). Adding multiple types of gambling would increase the number of problem gamblers by at least 32,000 (37%). Underage problem gamblers are two to four times more likely than adults to develop gambling addictions.

RELATED: Sen. Singleton: Gaming bills only come up when were broke

In California, gambling addicts comprise less than 5% of all gamblers yet account for 52% of the money spent in casinos, 32% of the money spent on lottery tickets, and 42% of off-track betting wagers.

In one study the top 5% of lottery players accounted for 51% of all lottery ticket sales.

Adolescents tend to begin gambling before they begin other risky behaviors, including tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and sexual behavior. Although access to most legal forms of gambling is restricted, large numbers of high school and underage college students gamble in casinos and buy lottery tickets.

As many as 15% of adolescents gamble online, even though it is illegal. The estimated proportion of college students with at least one gambling disorder has increased to 7.89%. High school students who gamble on the Internet are more likely to report poor academic performance and alcohol abuse.

About 25% of gamblers with serious addiction problems manifest manic behavior, and over half report being depressed. 38% had mood disorders, 37% had some anxiety disorder, and 23% had major depression.

Hill wrote that the government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, not make them economic slaves. The economic and social costs of expanding gambling of any kind in Alabama are not in the best interests of our state.

Legislators are likely to introduce a gambling bill in the legislative session that begins on February 6 in order to get it on the ballot for voters to ratify on the November 5 general election.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email[emailprotected]

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API report warns that gambling, state lotto legalization comes with downsides - Yellowhammer News

On todaysDolphinsTalk.com Podcast, Jason Sarney is joined by Andy Slater of FOX Sports 640 to discuss sports gambling now being legal in Florida, his recent success with some bets, and he shares his picks for this weekend in the NFL.All this and more on this episode of the DolphinsTalk.com Podcast.

Previous Guests on the DolphinsTalk.com Podcast areLarry Csonka, Ricky Williams, Christian Wilkins, Mike Westhoff, Jarvis Landry, Albert Wilson, Mike Tannenbaum, Jeff Darlington, Michael Thomas, Phil Simms, Mike Greenberg, Sam Madison, OJ McDuffie, Ronnie Brown, Patrick Surtain, Oronde Gadsden, Omar Kelly, Richmond Webb, Armando Salguero, Hal Habib, Andy Slater, Dave Hyde, Troy Stradford, Jim CRASH Jensen, Alain Poupart, Jason Lieser, Marco Coleman, Mark Clayton, Ruthie Polinsky, Taybor Pepper, Ross Tucker, Todd Wade, Jay Fiedler, Patrick Cobbs, Orlando Alzugaray, Antwan Staley, Greg Likens, Cameron Wolfe, Safid Deen, David Furones, Manish Mehta, Jeff Fox, Clay Ferraro, Thomas Morstead, Tim Robbie, Shawn Wooden, Benjamin Allbright, Jim Florentine, Roy Wood Jr., Gary Myers, Carlo DeVito, Allie Kiick, Zig Fracassi, JT The Brick, Frank the Tank Fleming, Tre Watson, Brandon Lang, Jeff Kerr, Charlie Potter, Tony Pauline, and Kevin Donnalley.BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR ARCHIVES TO LISTEN TO THOSE PREVIOUS GUESTS ON OUR PODCAST

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Sports Gambling Special with Jason Sarney and Andy Slater of FOX SPORTS 640 - Miami Dolphins - Dolphins Talk

Committee seeks new code of conduct for Premier League, other U.K. sports leagues to restrict the number of ads in stadiums.

Last Updated: Dec 22, 2023 6:00 AM ET Read Time: 4 min

A parliamentary committee in the United Kingdom wants more done to curb legal sports betting and gaming advertisements in the English Premier League.

A report from the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee released this week determined that the Premier Leagues decision to remove gambling ads from the front of match shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season will not significantly reduce the volume seen during matches.

The cross-party committee isnt calling for an outright ban, but it wants a new code of conduct for the Premier League and other sports leagues in the U.K. that will restrict ads in the stadium and provide more responsible gaming messages.

More should be done to shield children and people who have experienced problem gambling from what often seems like a bombardment of advertising branding at football and other sporting events, committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said in a BBC.com report.

The study found that just 7% of visible ads came from the jerseys of 10 matches researched. There were 7,000 gambling advertisements seen during six matches in the opening week of the campaign.

The Premier League responded to the committees report, saying it adheres to all gaming regulations and is now working with other sports and the government on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.

The Premier League had deals last season with soccer betting sites that generated an estimated 60m. The clubs agreed in April to remove the front-of-shirt ads, which the committee commended in its request to do more.

Premier League clubs have come under fire for violations this year.

In August, the U.K. watchdog Advertising Standards Authority ruled that bet365 shared a social media marketing post targeted at a younger audience during a February match between Manchester United and Arsenal. The ASA hit XLMedias FreeBet.com in September for sharing an Instagram post of a Manchester United player under the legal age of players who can advertise.

Gambling ads have been a hot topic in the U.S. as well, and Canada is working on regulations against them.

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U.K. Parliamentary Committee Wants Premier League, Other Sports to Curb Gambling Ads - Covers

The man who oversees the regulation of the gambling industry in the state is leaving the job in January. Racing and Gaming Administrator, Brian Ohorilko took over the job 12 years ago after being with the Racing and Gaming Commission for eight years before that.

You know, Ive done a lot in this space and those 20 years, and for me, it was just, like an opportunity to pursue some other goals. And the timing felt right, both personally and professionally to do so at the end of this year, he says. He will take a job outside of state government. Im not quite ready to discuss some of those details, but I am excited and motivated for some new challenges, Ohorilko says. And I just cannot wait to get an opportunity to make a positive and professional impact.

Ohorilko says awarding new gambling licenses was one of the biggest issues he faced in his tenure. Dealing with some of the licensing decisions, those certainly have been the most challenging times when you have opportunities and for different communities and to look at whether or not a new casino would make sense, he says. So those were definitely some of the biggest challenges. He says more recently dealing with sports betting issues has been a challenge.

Ohorilko says the Racing and Gaming Commission in Iowas is a highly respected regulatory body, and a lot of that is due to the dedication and hard work put in by the Commission and staff over the years. The ability to understand all of the issues, clearly from all sides, being transparent about what that looks like when decisions are made, making sure that the public has an opportunity to provide input and share their feelings, Ohorilko says.

Ohorilko says the sports gambling issues are similar to when casino gambling was first introduced. These are things that as time moves on, will be items that well see, you know, regulations evolve and really each state will have what they feel comfortable with in terms of whats legalized, Ohorilko says. Ohorilko took over for Jack Ketterer, who retired after serving as administrator for much of the time since the start of gambling in the state.

The Racing and Gaming Commission appointed Deputy Director Tina Eick to serve as interim administrator. The Commission chair indicated they would expect to appoint a new administrator at their meeting in January.

Continued here:

Leader of state gambling regulation leaving for another job - Radio Iowa

Brazil's chamber of deputies voted yesterday (21 December) to approve Bill 3,626/2023, which will regulate sports betting. Igaming has also been added back into the bill after removal by the senate.

Brazils chamber of deputies has now voted to approve online gambling, giving the final green light for the market to be regulated in 2024.

Yesterday evenings vote on 21 December follows the senate plenary approving Bill 3,626/2023 on Tuesday 12 December last week.

Now that the Bill has been approved by the chamber of deputies, it will be passed onto the office of the president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, for final approval.

While the bill for Brazils online gambling regulation was previously approved by thechamber of deputies in September, the chamber was required to vote again to agree on the changes made to the bill by the senate last week.

Senator Angelo Coronel presented the bill to the senate on the 12 December. It contained the latest round of amendments followinginitial approval of the bill three weeks agoby Brazils Economic Affairs Commission.

The bill faced significant opposition in the senate, which saw three key highlights voted on.

In addition to the exclusion of igaming, the senate also voted to exclude virtual games and sports betting terminals. Also turned down was an amendment that would prohibit sports betting advertising in stadiums.

All taxation recommendations introduced by theEconomic Affairs Commission on 22 Novemberwere also approved.

This confirms that GGR (gross gaming revenue) will be limited to 12%, instead of 18%. The taxation on winnings has also been modified.

Bettors will be taxed only once a year, at a rate of 15% on net winnings. This exceeds the exemption threshold of BRL2,112 (339/394/$425).

Licensees will also be required to pay an initial fee of up to BRL30m. By doing so, they will be granted the right to operate up to five different abrands.

While the senate voted to remove igaming from the bill yesterday, the chamber of deputies retained the authority to overturn the exclusion.

In an interview with iGB earlier this month,Neil Montgomery, founder and managing partner of Brazilian law firm Montgomery & Associados, expected opposition to igaming from the senate.

This was especially the case for the Evangelical Parliamentary Front. During yesterdays vote, Deputy Eli Borges, a leader of the Evangelicals, highlighted that we are taking another step forward to involve Brazilian citizens in an unprecedented situation.

The president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira, countered Borges criticism by highlighting that the proposal was already approved by deputies in September and by the senate, where many aspects of the bill had already been compromised on.

Lira highlighted that postponing the vote does not prevent online games, but encourages lack of control and money laundering.

If we simply dont vote on the regulations, will games cease to exist? Will people stop playing, bets stop working and sponsoring teams, events and tournaments? No, said Lira.

He highlighted that gaming platforms already exist and need regulation. Here we are not increasing or decreasing, we are trying to regulate and give seriousness [to the sector] to avoid, for example, money laundering, he said.

At the request of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, all mention of physical gaming or casinos have been left out of the text.

With the exclusion of online gambling however, it was projected that projected taxation revenue would fall short of what was originally expected.

With an initial target of BRL1.6bn, the loss of igaming would risk reaching less than half of that amount. This was estimated at BRL700m. That total is in glaring contrast to what was initially hoped for via taxes and licence fees.

In many ways, Neil Montgomery saw approval as almost inevitable. This is since the federal government is pushing for the approval to contribute to helping achieve zero fiscal deficit next year. Montgomery is referring to the Brazilian governments aim to hit a zero-deficit target in 2024.

Assuming the current bill is approved by the president, 36% of the tax will be directed to sports and 28% will go to tourism. Public safety initiatives will be given 14% and 10% each will go to education and social security.

The value of inspection fees is also expected to be changed. It will no longer be calculated based on the amount of premium paid. Rather, it will be based on lower levels of GGR.

Budding operators must also receive approval from the ministry of finance in order to operate in Brazil.

To qualify for a licence, operators must have a Brazilian partner that holds a minimum of 20% of the companys capital in the country. They also must have the appropriate cybersecurity systems in place.

The bill also outlines that operators will have to implement identification processes. It stipulates facial recognition technology as a potential method.

Unlicensed operators will not be allowed to advertise in Brazil. In addition, B2B partners will be prohibited from providing technology to unlicensed B2C companies. Bonuses will also be banned.

As weve covered extensively on iGB, Brazils legalised sports betting and casino story has been a long and winding one.

The final stretch of the journey kicked off in May when Brazils governmentannounced PM 1,182 for sports betting.

Da Silva gave the PM the all-clear. The president subsequentlysigned it into law in July.

Initially, the PM was not well received. Themain points of contentionwere around the 18% tax rate, advertising restrictions and ambiguous regulation around payments.

Following that, Bill 3,626/2023 was introduced which made amendments to PM 1,182.

The biggest change was the addition of online casino. This was approved by the chamber of deputies in September, with the tax rate still at 18%.

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Brazil green lights online gambling regulation - igaming included - iGaming Business