Lawmakers in the National Congress of Brazil are continuing to tout the benefits of decriminalizing gaming in a country where it’s been banned for several decades.
They include Arthur Lira, president of the Chamber of Deputies, and federal deputy Eduardo Bismarck, the author of two gaming bills who recently stated, “The decriminalization of gambling in leisure resorts and casino hotels proves to be worthwhile, considering its beneficial effects for society.”
One bill would only allow gaming in leisure resorts and casino hotels authorized by the president. Another bill would allow the classification of casino hotels as providers of tourist services.
Bismarck declared, “One cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that gambling activity in Brazil is widely exercised and accepted by Brazilian society, even though it is illegal. The fact that it is illegal does not prevent this practice from occurring; on the contrary, it makes its results perverse, considering that the resources that could be supplying the public coffers are reverted to the corruption … of large criminal organizations.”
He added that legal games of chance in leisure resorts and casino hotels authorized by a regulatory body are “worthy of note, considering their beneficial effects for society.”
Meanwhile the “rapporteur” of the gaming framework legislation, Federal Deputy Felipe Carreras, is proposing dividing the text of the bill into three sections 1) creation of resorts casinos through concessions, 2) taxation of online wagers and 3) addressing the desire of the country’s 11 jockey clubs to be included in operating some games. A “rapporteur” is a legislator responsible for carrying and refining a bill to the chamber.
Carreras has told supporters that gaming could be a great boon to tourism by doubling the number of tourists who visit the country.
