Deputy César Halum pointed to the legalization of gambling as a quick and viable alternative to help the government cover the gap in public accounts, whose deficit for this year is expected to rise from US$ 43.5 billion to US$ 50 billion.
"The government has recently raised fuel taxes to raise US$ 1.87 billion," he said, "and we are since 1946 tolerating gambling clandestinely. If the activity is legalized and taxed, it would raise US$ 5.65 billion a year, three times more than than this fuel tax, "Halum said.
"Brazil collects with tobacco, with cigarettes, US$ 1.55 billion a year; with alcoholic beverages, US$ 720 million a year. We raise with automakers, automobile factories, US$ 680 million a year. And with fuels, 5 US$ 1.56 billion a year. Summing smoke, drink, vehicle assembler and fuels, we have raised US$ 5 billion. Gaming alone would raise US$ 5.65 billion, "said the deputy.
"Instead of creating new taxes, one can create new economic activities," Halum said, adding that in South America only Brazil and Bolivia did not legalize the activity.
Source: GMB
