Legislation

Brazil – Brazil’s Deputy defends gambling legalisation

Federal deputy Paulo Azi has defended the legalisation of gambling in Brazil. In an interview with Bahia News, the congressman said that legalisation, ‘will create a huge leap in tourism in Brazil, especially in Bahia.’

For this, the congressman has proposed a surcharge of 10 per cent, in addition to all taxes, with five per cent earmarked for tourism and five per cent for public safety. Bahia is located in northeastern Brazil and has the capital Salavdor.

“I understand that it is long past the time for Brazil to have a mature discussion about the legalisation of games. Brazil is one of the few countries in the world that gambling is forbidden, in theory. In practice it continues to occur clandestinely. It does not generate tax, it does not make the people who work formalised in their contract of employment. It causes enormous damage,” he said.

For Azi, a regulated industry could generate taxes and create a great number of jobs. He said he was in favour of legalising bingo, online gambling casinos as well as the street lottery the “the animal game.”
Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has suggested that rather than increasing tax revenue for the state gaming may encourage money laundering and tax evasion in Brazil as the size of the industry would overwhelm supervisory bodies. However the lawmaker argued that tax generated by the casinos would be enough to pay for a regulatory body that would be able to adequately regulate the industry.

“With the technology at our disposal, it is almost impossible for that to happen. The owners themselves have no interest if their business being used for money laundering, (and) corruption,” he said.