In a recent twist for the much-anticipated HeadWaters Resort & Casino project in Norfolk, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, along with their casino development team, has opted to delay the presentation of their latest plans until January 22. 

Norfolk Mayor Unaware of Latest Casino Proposal Issues

Casino spokesperson Jay Smith stated in an emailed communication that the tribe and the developer had engaged in discussions to address concerns and issues pertaining to the project and site before proceeding with the Architectural Review Board presentation, reported by Virginia local media outlet The Daily Press. However, when pressed for specifics on the nature of these issues, Smith refrained from providing further details.

Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander expressed his lack of awareness regarding any problems with the latest proposal and redirected inquiries to the developer. The proposed HeadWaters Resort & Casino, situated between the baseball stadium and the Amtrak station near downtown Norfolk, has undergone multiple modifications since gaining approval for construction in 2020.

Initially, the project faced setbacks when plans for a temporary casino within Harbor Park were discarded in 2022 due to non-compliance with the 2020 voter referendum specifications. Subsequently, the developer introduced a two-phase plan for a casino and resort in mid-2023, but it encountered opposition from city leaders and was eventually withdrawn.

HeadWaters Resort & Casino Tackles Construction Challenges in Norfolk

December 2023 witnessed the unveiling of the latest blueprint, featuring a 2025 commencement for gaming activities, while other resort components, such as the hotel and spa, undergo construction. Notably, the once-proposed Elizabeth River marina has been excluded from the updated plans.

The Pamunkey Indian Tribe, as the preferred gaming developer, obtained approval from local voters in 2020 for the $500 million project on the Elizabeth River waterfront, adjacent to Harbor Park Minor League Baseball stadium. Despite this, construction has yet to commence more than three years later.

The Architectural Review Board’s approval is crucial for the project’s advancement, as it is tasked with evaluating new construction projects involving city-owned land. The HeadWaters development, spanning approximately 13.5 acres, is set to be purchased from the city for $10 million, with financing provided by gaming industry veteran Jon Yarbrough.

The project has faced numerous hurdles, including a legal snag over the temporary casino, disagreements over a phased development approach, and design delays linked to a city-funded seawall project along the Elizabeth River. According to the casino development agreement, HeadWaters must be operational by November 2025, a deadline that carries financial implications for both the city and the tribe.

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The Brazilian Senate has decided to postpone the vote on the bill that would regulate the gambling sector in the country for Tuesday 12 December after it had originally been scheduled to take place on 6 December.

The delay means that the bill has less and less chances of being fully approved this year. The vote was postponed due to a lack of quorum in the Brazilian Senate, the minimum number of senators needed to vote was not met and it was not possible for the vote to go ahead.

Bill 3,626 was approved by Brazil’s Economic Affairs Commission a couple of weeks ago and everybody expected the Senate to follow suit without too much hassle, but that has not been the case as the vote was first rescheduled to the 29^th of November as more than 100 amendments were added to the original bill.

Moreover, the delay was probably due to the fact that fifteen senators were unavailable for the vote as they were attending the United Nations Climate Summit in the United Arab Emirates. That summit is not over yet, it continues until early next week and the December 12 vote might be affected as well.

The vote on the gambling regulation bill requires a qualified quorum because the proposal does not benefit from consensus in the Senate. This means that if senators that are in favor of the legislative proposal can’t attend the vote, then the approval of the bill might be compromised.

If the December 12 vote is postponed as well, and that possibility seems quite likely, then the bill would probably not come into effect for a few months. That is because from 23 December until 2 February 2024 the Brazilian parliament will be in recess. That delay could have a big impact because if the bill is not approved by the end of 2023, the resources needed for its implementation cannot be included in the 2024 budget by the government.

If the Brazilian Senate would be able to approve the bill on Tuesday, then the matter would advance to the Chamber of Deputies, which would have to discuss the bill and the amendments before voting on it as well. But the Chamber of Deputies would have just over one week to decide on the bill before the recess.

Moving Closer

The Brazilian gaming industry stands firmly behind the bill and is hopeful that it would be approved sooner rather than later. Luiz Felipe Maia, founding partner of Brazilian law firm Maia Yoshiyasu Advogados, declared himself confident that regulation would be in place before too long and said that the country is getting “very close to the approval of the bill.” Maya also said that players would be the ones to benefit the most from the regulation.

The Brazilian government is counting on the bill to supplement the revenues for the state because it would impose a license fee for casino and betting operators which is expected to bring 30 million Brazilian Reais to the state coffers (around 6 million U.S. dollars). Moreover, the state expects to collect around 1.6 billion Brazilian Reais from taxes from the gambling sector.

Neil Montgomery, founder and managing partner of Brazilian law firm Montgomery & Associados, declared himself skeptical regarding the bill’s chances to be approved before the parliamentary recess. If the bill does get approved by the Chamber of Deputies, then it would have to receive one more final approval from the office of President Lula.

Source: “Brazil gambling regulation vote delayed to 12 December“. iGaming Business. December 7, 2023.

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Brazil’s Senate has once again pushed back its decision about the future of sports betting. The country has been preparing to launch wagering on sports for some time now but the legislators continue to be indecisive.

In addition to the Senate, the Economic Affairs Commission (CAE) delayed its Tuesday meeting to Wednesday, further signifying the country’s uncertainty about greenlighting wagering on sports. This was likely caused by the multiple recent amendments to the initial sports betting bill, which envision different tax rates for sportsbooks.

The original bill planned a tax of 18% but, according to reports, the changes lowered it to 15%. Reports also say that Senator Ângelo Coronel also proposed decreasing the tax on fantasy sports from 30% to 15%.

Another major change is a measure that would require sportsbooks to sign an agreement with a Brazilian partner who would acquire at least 20% of their share capital.

The future of sports betting taxes continues to be discussed by Brazilian lawmakers, delaying the official launch of the vertical.

Brazil Is Also Discussing a Ban on Ads

In addition to discussing the future of sports betting, Brazilian lawmakers continue to mull over a possible ban on gambling advertisements, much to the dismay of industry shareholders.

The ban, which would block sponsorship deals between operators and teams, as well as gambling advertisements across stadiums, would deprive the sports sector of a major revenue stream, clubs argue.

Expressing their discontentment with the discussed ban, 33 soccer clubs wrote a letter to the Senate, hoping to convince lawmakers to abandon the measure.

In the meantime, Brazil also continues to discuss the possibility of launching online casino gaming in the country. A separate bill, which would legalize the vertical, is still on the table, seeking to bring order to Brazil’s unregulated sector.

Proponents of the regulation of online gambling argue that it would protect local consumers and generate an important stream of tax money.

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Ireland’s Minister of Finance, Michael McGrath, presented the country’s budget for the upcoming year, omitting any mention of the planned increase in the betting levy. The proposed change, an initiative first championed by the Labour Party, would see the tax rate rise from 2% to 3%, with the additional funds earmarked to support domestic sports projects.

An Increase Would Have Hurt Retail Bookmakers

Despite earlier discussions and support for the increased betting levy, Minister McGrath did not comment on the matter during the budget presentation, instead indicating that the government would explore the possibility of tax raises in the future. This delay in implementing the levy increase is a relief to retail bookmakers in Ireland, who were concerned about additional taxation. 

The Irish Bookmakers Association (IBA) had previously expressed reservations about further betting tax increases, labeling them as unsustainable and detrimental. IBA chair Sharon Byrne noted that the recent economic downturn placed immense financial pressure on betting shops, with many teetering on the edge. The country’s gambling industry is in a tight place, as the number of shops recently reached an all-time low of roughly 750.

If the tax goes up again, they will be in deeper trouble. Hopefully, we have provided enough data and facts to demonstrate how another increase at a retail level is just not sustainable.

Sharon Byrne, IBA chair

Fortunately for betting shops, the new Irish budget omits mentions of levy increases, meaning they will be safe at least until 2024. The delay should hopefully give the government and stakeholders time to consider the best approach for boosting domestic sports without hurting the struggling retail betting sector. Byrne also urged the Irish regulator to address black market operators and safeguard local shops.

The Government Remains Committed to Supporting Sports

The proposal for the betting levy increase hoped to ring-fence additional revenue to fund domestic sports facilities, focusing on supporting football teams and addressing gender equality issues. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has requested €517 million ($549 million) from the Irish Government, placing a significant burden on the system. 

Minister McGrath noted that the government needed more time to determine how taxes could effectively support sports organizations in Ireland. He reaffirmed the government’s continued interest in exploring potential tax measures to benefit such initiatives. McGrath added that the current system provided significant reliefs to sporting organizations and charities, but stressed it could do significantly better.

I intend to examine how the tax system can be utilized to further support these organizations… This will involve examining the tax treatment of long-term strategic development funds.

Michael McGrath, Ireland Minister of Finance

The decision to postpone the betting levy increase in Ireland’s budget indicates a measured and deliberate approach by the government in exploring how tax measures can best support domestic sports projects. While the discussion will continue in the coming year, this budget decision provides temporary relief for the retail bookmaking industry.

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