Rio de Janiero Mayor Marcelo Crivella has come out again to push a legal casino industry in the city’s port. “There have been investors here, owners of the Singaporean casino and the largest one in Las Vegas, who are very interested in building a big structure in Porto Maravilha, which would be a great help for the economy and for the whole tourism sector,” said the mayor, referring to Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson, who has visited the metropolis and discussed investing billions in an integrated resort there.
According to Crivella, bringing back casinos—which have been illegal in Brazil since the mid-1940s—would help boost the economy and tourism of the city. “We are fighting a lot so that Rio de Janeiro can get the National Congress approval of the law that gives us the possibility of having a casino in the city with some special license,” he said.
During his election campaign, President Jair Bolsonaro took a stand against the release of casinos and gambling in Brazil but considered allowing each state to decide on the issue. On September 19, Minister of the Civil House Onyx Lorenzoni spoke about the subject during an event at the Commercial Association of Porto Alegre (ACPA).
The minister said letting the federation units decide on legal gaming “would speed up the process of setting up casinos, especially in tourist areas.” According to the head of the Civil House, the issue should be dealt with along with changes in the rules of the federative pact next year.
Crivella has an ally in Chamber of Deputies President Rodrigo Maia, who also supports legal gaming in Rio.
