Portugal’s government has flip-flopped on its recent proposal to revise the online gambling tax scheme that has severely limited interest in the country’s regulated market.

Last week, Portuguese media outlet Jornal de Negocios reported that the government’s fiscal 2019 budget would include a new 25% flat tax on online gambling revenue, replacing the incremental 15-30% tax on online casino revenue and the truly punitive 8-16% tax on sports betting turnover.

This week, Jornal de Nogocios reported that the revised Special Tax on Online Gambling (IEJO) language had been left out of the final budget document that was delivered to parliament. Finance Minister Mário Centeno was obviously tinkering with the final text right to the end, as he delivered the budget a mere 12 minutes before the parliamentary deadline.

Portuguese MPs will commence their debate on the state budget on October 30, with a final vote scheduled for November 30. It’s unclear whether this window provides any opportunity for the reinsertion of the gambling tax proposal.