Evangelical leaders mobilise against casino bill in Brazil
Evangelical leaders linked to the Interdenominational Council of Evangelical Ministers of Brazil (CIMEB) have publicly released a letter against Brazil’s wider land-based expansion bill. In the document, the pastors state that they will expose the names of the senators who voted in favour of the proposal, which is currently under legislative consideration in the Federal Senate. According to the signatories, the letter will be sent to parliamentarians and used to mobilize believers and religious leaders throughout the country.
In the “Letter of Repudiation Against the Approval of Gambling,” the religious leaders present a series of arguments against the regulation of gambling, such as the risk of family indebtedness, increased crime, and negative impacts on the mental health of the population. They also mention the possibility of money laundering.
“There is a technical opinion from the Federal Police, Attorney General’s Office, and Sindifisco (a trade union representing Federal Revenue Auditors) opposing the approval of this bill,” affirm the pastors. The text is signed by prominent figures in the evangelical community, including Silas Malafaia, Estevam Hernandes, Robson Rodovalho, César Augusto, and others.
The land-based bill has the support of the government, which sees this measure as a potential source of revenue. President Lula has stated that he will sanction the proposal if it is approved by Congress. In January the Minister of Tourism Celso Sabino said that the expectation is that the bill will be signed in the first half of this year. Meanwhile Brazilian media outlet Globo has reported that the President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, is working to build an agreement to bring the bill to a vote in the Plenary. In discussions with his interlocutors, Alcolumbre expressed his goal of having the topic examined this semester and is attempting to persuade party leaders to reach a consensus.
