The Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee on Wednesday approved by a slim 14-12 vote a bill to legalize casinos in Brazil. The bill will proceed to a floor vote.

The controversial bill was previously approved in the House in a hasty February 2022 late night sitting. Lawmakers on the left and right helped pass it, despite public opposition from the evangelical Christian caucus.

Casinos and most forms of gambling have been banned in Brazil since 1946, although the country has recently moved to legalize sports betting platforms. The idea of legalizing casino resorts was revived during the former far-right Jair Bolsonaro administration and has been advertised as a way to boost tourism in Brazil.

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