Gambling World News Roundup: Brazil, U.K, Spain

  • Brazil will have sports betting on December 13, 2022, whether they regulate it or not.
  • The U.K. might reverse a plan to ban gambling advertisements on soccer jerseys.
  • Spain passed a gambling reform bill out of committee, and it will now go to the full Lower House.

MADRID – Countries like Spain, Brazil and the United Kingdom are experiencing shifts in the gambling landscape.

Sports Betting Becomes Legal In Brazil By December

Whether or not the bill is fully approved by Brazil’s government, sports betting will be legal in Brazil by December 13, 2022.

This is because a previous bill passed on December 12, 2018, which gave the government four years in which to set up a regulatory framework for sports betting.

This has not been done as of yet, but the wording of the bill is clear – it will become legal after that four year period is up, regulation or not.

This does include the taxes that were written into the 2018 law, which will have to be paid, and it also includes a reporting requirement of wins over 10,000 Brazilian Reals, which is about $1900.

U.K. Might Not Ban Betting Adverts On Jerseys

The U.K. unveiled a plan to ban gambling advertisements on soccer jerseys in the country, but this plan may have hit a snag.

Reports are now surfacing that a review of government gambling policy might yield a different plan, one that works with voluntary agreement from Premier League teams, and does not ban adverts of this nature outright.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport issued the following statement:

“We are committed to protecting people at risk of gambling-related harm and are undertaking the most comprehensive review of gambling laws in 15 years to ensure they are fit for the digital age.”

Spain Looks To Reform Gambling Laws

Spain’s Congress of Deputies has approved a bill that would reform their gambling laws to reach the floor in the Lower House.

If it manages to pass the Lower House, it will go on to the Senate, which it will have to pass as well.

These regulations are aimed at curtailing harmful gambling advertisements and protecting minors and problem gamblers. The bill also includes potential regulations on NFTs and lootbox mechanics in online games.