Senator Benedito de Lira presented a new report to PLS 186/2014, which deals with the regulation and legalization of gaming in Brazil, at the session of the CCJ - Senate Constitution and Justice Commission, on Wednesday (6th) morning in Brasilia. The rapporteur has made changes to the text because of recent amendments.
Among the changes made by the senator, the most relevants are: the withdrawal of the responsibility of municipalities to accredit and supervise the jogo do bicho, which is transferred to the Union; prohibition of the exploitation of video bingos and slot machines outside the casinos; increased penalties for crimes stipulated in the law and a total ban on entry of minors under 18 into casinos.
After reading the new report, the commission's senators requested a hearing due to the changes in the text presented by the rapporteur. The request for a collective hearing was granted by the president of the CCJ, Senator Edson Lobão.
As a reminder, Edson Lobão, told the rapporteur Benedito de Lira, that the vote should have taken place in today's session, but the presentation of a new text by him required a collective view. The chair of the CCJ asked that no further changes be made so that the bill could be voted on at the next committee meeting.
The project should now be back on track for next Wednesday's meeting. Being approved, it goes to the plenary for the vote of the other senators.
The bill, which authorizes the exploration of gaming in the country, is authored by Senator Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI). The estimate is that the withdrawal of the activity from clandestinity can generate between US$ 3.7 billion and US$ 5.5 billion in collection.
The law project:
- Free the activity of casinos, bingos, jogo do bicho, slots and bets online
- The establishments would be controlled by a federal public agency
- Authorizes the installation of casinos through of bidding and within leisure complexes created for this purpose
- The equipment would have to be interconnected with government tax electronic system
- The tax to be paid to the Union would be between 10% and 20%. The amount collected - about US$ 5.5 billion per year - would be divided into 40% for the federal government, 30% for states and 30% for municipalities
- The taxes would be transfered for education, social security and social assistance
- Gambling addicts, included in national registry to be created, would be prevented from playing
In early November, after a meeting with 15 governors, Senate President Eunicio Oliveira (PMDB-CE) assured that the bill would come into agenda. The governors and the president of the Senate want the money raised from legalized gaming to be used in the National Public Security Development Fund.
The original proposal was amended by the rapporteur, Senator Benedito de Lira (PP-AL). The document was presented to committee members at the Novemer 8th meeting, but the vote was postponed. One of the recurring criticisms of senators opposed to the controversial bill holds that the practice will facilitate the crime of money laundering.
The substitute text determines the inclusion of companies authorized to explore gambling in the Money Laundering Law, obliging them to register customers and report operations to the Financial Activities Control Council (Coaf). These data should be forwarded to the federal government.
If approved by the commission, the bill returns to the floor to be voted on by the senators. The regulation of bets should include jogo do bicho, bingo, videobingo and videogame, casinos in integrated leisure complexes, sports and non-sports betting and online casinos. The author, Senator Ciro Nogueira, argues that gaming is legal in 75% of the 193 member countries of the United Nations (UN).
Source: GMB
