Legislation
Brazil – More than a third of Brazilian Deputies sign anti-gaming petition
By Phil - 18 November 2016
More than a third of the members of Brazil’s lower house have signed a petition to block legislation which would liberalise gaming.
The Special Committee in the Brazilian Senate has approved new gambling legislation and the bill is an updated and modified version of legislation originally drafted by Senator Ciro Nogueira in 2014 but with a number of significant changes. It will now go forward for a vote, according to information provided by the Senate.
The bill proposes the legalisation of casinos, bingo halls, slot parlours and the popular “Jogo do Bicho” or “Animal Game.” The text defines the types of gaming that can be played in Brazil, the criteria for how licences are to be granted and the rules for the distribution of prizes as well as how gaming is to be taxed in the future. According to the act online gambling will be permitted over all platforms including mobile phones “or any other digital communication channel.” Attempts to relax betting restrictions are part of a wider government multibillion-dollar plan to auction off oil, power rights and infrastructure concessions and attract foreign investment.
However opposition to the new act amongst church groups and politicians is gaining in momentum as they prepare to oppose the new bill. And more than a third of the 513 deputies have signed the petition saying that they will block any legislation which seeks to permit bingos, casinos and gaming in the country. Many have expressed fears over the negative impact gaming could have on Brazilian society. “I am concerned about addiction generated by gambling and the risk of destroying families,” said Roberto de Lucena, a lawmaker and evangelical pastor in Sao Paulo.
Due to the controversial nature of the issue in Brazil President Michel Temer’s adminitarition has still not taken a formal stance on the issue. However ministers are continuing with plans to legalise gambling in order to increase revenue for the state and gambling has been earmarked as an urgent priority by the President of the Senate, Senator Renan Calheiros. In addition the newly appointed President of the Chamber of Deputies in Brazil Rodrigo Maia has come out in support of new gaming legislation which would allow for large casinos as part of entertainment complexes and resorts.
Speaking at the state meeting of his party in July, the right leaning Democrats Party (Democratas, DEM) Rodrigo Maia said: “I am in favour of gaming as being part of the chain of entertainment, in favour of casinos and resorts as investment in the network of events and also gaming. This path will bring billions and billions to Brazil. Today, Brazil has eight thousand illegal machines and nobody does anything about it. Either you make progress towards something serious, or you end up with what you have already – money laundering every day,” he said.
