Operator News
Brazil – Brazil’s President states his opposition to gambling bill once more
By Phil - 19 January 2022
President Jair Bolsonaro has reiterated his opposition to gambling by saying that games of chance “are not welcome in Brazil” and that he will veto the measure. Bolsonaro added that ‘there is a lot of infighting’ around the issue.
“You have to talk about numbers. In Parliament, an urgency regime for this project was approved, if I’m not mistaken, with 300-something votes. It’s a sign that, if I veto it here, as I said I would veto, it would be overthrown there. But it is a very big internal fight on the part of Parliament”, he said in an interview with Rádio Viva FM.
He also said that he had been approached by lawmakers who wanted to sound him out on the issue.
“I have already been asked by some leaders about how I would behave if the project were approved. I said I would veto it. They are prepared; obviously, it depends on the strength of each one within Parliament, which is an independent power, to approve the project. They, as far as I know, are convinced that, after the veto, they have the power to overturn the veto. My position as Chief Executive is that gambling is not welcome in Brazil”, he said.
This is the third time since September that he has gone on record saying that he will use his veto. In September Bolsonaro told press that the measure would not have his support. In January he reiterated his position and stated that he was against gambling and that he would veto gambling laws now being developed in the House of Deputies. “My position is clear. From what I’ve seen, by the amount of votes and urgency, they can overturn a possible veto. I intend to veto the issue of games in Brazil,” he said.
Bolsonaro’s comments come as the bill is gaining momentum in the Chamber of Deputies. In December deputies approved the request to deal with bill PL 442/91, which legalizes casino and other types of gambling in the country, as a matter of urgency. The motion was passed after President of the Chamber of Deputies Arthur Lira held meetings and negotiated between the leaders of different political groups including the opposition. Lira announced that Gambling Bill PL 442/91 would be debated in the House of Deputies in February 2022. Legislators will be able to submit amendments to the bill before then.
