Senator introduces bill that taxes betting at 2% to create a cybersecurity fund.

Senator Espiridião Amin (PP-SC) presented this Wednesday (24) in the Federal Senate a bill that proposes the creation of a 2% tax on the revenue of betting houses. The proposal aims to finance the National Digital Security and Resilience Program, with the potential to generate R$ 700 million annually for investments in cybersecurity.

The sports betting and online gaming sector is concerned about the possibility of a further 2% reduction in betting payouts, especially after companies experienced a 50% increase in taxation, which was raised from 12% to 18% through a provisional measure. The new gaming tax comes into effect on October 1st.

The program outlined in the project encompasses professional training, coordination of local digital protection plans, and encouragement of cooperation between different levels of public administration. Resources would be used by the federal government, states, and municipalities, also allowing for private sector participation in the initiatives.

"The proposal also contemplates the future implementation of a 'national authority' responsible for standardization, oversight, and establishing minimum digital security standards," the congressman stated.

The initiative seeks to significantly expand resources for digital protection in the country. Currently, cybersecurity activities receive only 3% of the National Public Security Fund, which is equivalent to R$ 35 million in 2025, considering that the fund has R$ 1,16 billion available this year.

The amount that could be raised with the new tax is approximately 20 times greater than the current amount allocated to the area. The National Cybersecurity Agency, already planned by the Executive branch, is working with a projected budget of R$ 600 million per year.

The proposal is based on the significant revenue of the betting sector. According to data from the Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance, betting generated R$ 17,4 billion in the first half of 2025 alone.

The bill, filed by the senator on behalf of the Parliamentary Front for Support of Cybersecurity and Cyber ​​Defense (Frente Ciber), justifies the measure by arguing that the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy "lack legal and financial support, do not bind the federative entities, and do not have structural mechanisms to induce their effective implementation."

The project has the support of the Cyber ​​Front, a parliamentary group formed by deputies and senators. Amin, who leads the initiative, has an extensive political career, having governed Santa Catarina twice, in addition to serving as a senator for ten years in the 1990s and as a federal deputy for two consecutive terms.

Betting companies, which would be directly affected by the new taxation, have established a strong presence in the Brazilian political scene. According to a survey by the organization Fiquem Sabendo, between 2023 and 2024, during discussions on the regulation of the sector, representatives of betting companies participated in 78 meetings in nine ministries and the National Congress.

The bill stipulates that the funds raised from the tax be specifically directed towards strengthening the country's digital security infrastructure, including protection measures for both government agencies and Brazilian companies. The text establishes that entities must adhere to the program to access the fund's resources.

So far, no information has been released about how betting companies will react to the proposal or what the next steps will be after the project is officially presented to the Senate.

Statements and positions from the parties involved, including representatives from the betting industry and other parliamentarians, have not yet been released regarding this specific proposal.