Operator News
Brazil – Mato Grosso lobbies for casino licence
By Phil - 19 October 2017
The State Secretary for Tourism Development for Brazil’s northern state of Mato Grosso has defended plans for a large scale casino on the banks of the Manso River.
Luís Carlos Nigro told press that he was going to Brasilia this week in order to discuss new guidelines with federal deputies considered essential for the promotion of tourism.
Lawmakers will discuss the issue of gaming at a breakfast meeting this week with the objective of promoting action aimed at unifying, streamlining and approving gaming bills that will regulate the industry in the future.
The meeting is being organised by The National Forum of State Secretaries and Directors of Tourism (FORNATUR) in Brasilia. The body has consistently urged lawmakers to try to push forward bills which would legalise casino gaming. The meeting will also discuss proposed changes to the Brazilian Tourist Board (Embratur). Vice President for Institutional Relations of FORNATUR Leonel Pavan said: “Both projects are of fundamental importance to promote tourism for the national and state economies.”
Luís Carlos Nigro said: “Mato Grosso is capable of sustaining a project of this size in a resort that is already operational on the shores of Lake Manso. The legalisation of casinos will generate a great economy for Mato Grosso and promote our tourism industry.” The proposed casino will be located in the state capital Cuiabá.
There are currently two bills being considered in the Brazilian Congress: one in the Chamber of Deputies and the other in the Senate. In the Chamber of Deputies gaming law would allow for casinos within wider leisure complexes. States with more than 25 million inhabitants would be permitted to have a maximum of three casinos. States with populations between 15 million and 25 million may have two, and those with less than 15 million inhabitants may have one casino as is the case in Mato Grosso . Licences would be granted for 30 years.
Legislation which is being considered in the Senate would allow for 35 casinos, with at least one per state while some states would be permitted to have as many as three, depending on the population and the economic outlook in each state. The resorts would only be permitted to use 10 per cent of the available space for gaming while the remaining space would be used for restaurants, shops, theatres, exhibition space, as well as others facilities.
