The Senate's CCJ has scheduled for this Wednesday (5) the vote on Bill 2.234/2022, which legalizes casinos, bingos, and the "jogo do bicho". However, there are still doubts whether the topic will be analyzed due to agreements to postpone the matter. On May 29, the opposition to legal gambling was going to request a review and avoid the discussion, but since the meeting did not occur, it is possible that the maneuver will happen now.
Senator Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), president of the Committee on Constitution and Justice, assures that the proposal will be voted on before the parliamentary recess, scheduled for July 15. “It has to be voted on before (the recess). This matter has been here for over a year”, he stated to Valor.
Amid pressure from the evangelical bench, Alcolumbre has already removed the text from the agenda twice, citing the absence of Senator Irajá, the rapporteur of Bill 2.234/2022.
Alcolumbre's position on advancing the proposal is the same as that of the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), and both are in favor of the proposal. “I consider it an important, meritorious project and I am in favor”, Alcolumbre declared, who behind the scenes has been supporting the advancement of the matter.
Senator Irajá is also in favor of the matter and has already advanced his vote when he read the report, which now must pass to the hands of senators who do not support legal gambling, leaving it in the eternal illegal market.
Senator Irajá estimates that the gambling market in Brazil moved at least R$ 15 billion in 2023, a value that, according to him, could exceed R$ 30 billion per year. Citing statistics on the market for legal or illegal betting, Irajá concludes that “gambling already constitutes a significant economic activity”.
In his report, Irajá dismissed as “an indeterminate legal concept” the offense to morals and good customs, used as an argument against gambling, and highlighted that the project deals with transferring to the State a practice that today constitutes a misdemeanor.
Despite the argument of increased revenue, the government leader in the Senate, Jaques Wagner (PT-BA), recognizes that the subject divides the governing base. “I do not have a definitive government position yet. If you look, those who are focused on the Treasury will say it will generate revenue”, he pointed out.
For opposition senator Dr. Hiran (PP-RO), the regulation of casinos in the country has enormous potential in job creation and therefore should prioritize developing areas.
“Casinos are a private investment and generate a lot of employment in the service and entertainment sector. Areas that have casinos in the world, like Las Vegas, earn much more from entertainment than from gambling”, argued the senator.
Meanwhile, the position of the evangelical base continues, presenting misguided opinions against gambling, such as being susceptible to money laundering, association with crime, and other ills.
According to the proposal, already approved in the Chamber of Deputies within the scope of Bill 442/91, in addition to the legalization of casinos in tourist hubs or integrated leisure complexes, bingos and jogo do bicho, gaming houses on maritime and river vessels, which will follow specific rules, will also be able to operate. The casino must prove a minimum integrated social capital of at least R$ 100 million and may be accredited for 30 years.
The proposition also establishes rules for the game of bingo in cartela and electronic modalities, and allows in each state the accreditation of a legal entity for every 700,000 inhabitants for the exploitation of the jogo do bicho.
In this case, the authorizations will have a validity of 25 years, renewable for an equal period. Horse races may be exploited by turf entities accredited in the Ministry of Agriculture, which may also explore, at the same time, games of bingo and video bingo.
Source: GMB
