Parliamentarians in Brazil see a possible window of opportunity to advance a controversial casino bill after the national elections but before the next legislature takes office.
The text of the bill was approved in February by the Chamber of Deputies.
It would regulate casino games, bingo, jogo do bicho, horse racing and online gaming. It would also authorize tourist casinos in hotels.
Supporters see a chance to approve it in Senate before new lawmakers take power. A new anti-gaming group recently organized, the “Parliamentary Front for a Brazil Without Gambling.”
The bill’s rapporteur Felipe Carreras has met with the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco about the bill. They discussed using the “window of opportunity” after the October elections but before the new officials take office to possible vote on the matter.
The bill’s author, Senator Irajá, argues that gaming could generate 200,000 jobs and about $9 billion in investments. He said, “Brazil is not in a position to resort to new investments. Integrated resorts are a business model that generates billions of dollars in revenue for governments and companies around the world.”
However, Pecheco says he has other more pressing priorities to pass this year, such as tax reform.
Julio Lopes, member of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, argues in favor of legalization. “Brazilians like to gamble, and so, we combine this with a huge flow of taxes and a huge lack of control on the part of the Union of the states in these processes.” Lopes added, “That’s because, we allow the export of gaming resource when the citizen plays online and throws that resource outside the country.”
There have been several attempts to legalize casinos in Brazil during the last 30 years.
One development associated with the possibility of legalized gaming is that poker houses have sprung up in the country in recent years. Brazil has an estimated 8 million poker players, of who 80,000 play in locations. Although casinos are illegal in Brazil, poker is not.
Several poker tournament have been held in the country and some noteworthy world-class players come from Brazil, including Felipe Mojave, Rafael Moraes, João Simão, André Akkari and Josias Santos.
Brito corrects those who say that poker is gambling. He told Games Magazine Brasil: “It’s not a game of chance. Gambling is one where you have a 50 percent chance of winning or losing. Poker is considered a sport of the mind,” explains champion Brito. “In it, success depends 70 percent on technique, study. Only 30 percent depend on luck.”
