JUE 28 DE MARZO DE 2024 - 15:24hs.
Vinicius Lummertz

New Brazilian minister of tourism insists on casinos legalization

Recently designated as Minister of Tourism by President Michel Temer, the politician, executive and businessman Vinicius Lummertz -who was previously head of Embratur- gave one of his first interviews in the new position and talked about the installation of casinos in Brazil. 'Among the changes, I'm also in favor of the limited opening of casinos. Open at specialty resorts is safe. Brazil already has gaming, 'he admitted.

During an interview published in the newspaper Diário do Comercio, in Santa Catarina, the new tourism minister, Vinicius Lummertz, said that he supports the legalization of casinos in Brazil. The subject appeared at the end of the interview, when the new head of the tourism sector was asked about how the country could attract more foreign tourists.

"Among the changes, I'm also in favor of the limited opening of casinos. Open at specialty resorts is safe. Brazil already has gaming. Portugal, for example, has its casinos and everything is quiet. Portuguese GDP grew 4% last year, but if it did not have tourism, it would have fallen -1%. In Brazil, there is ideological confrontation, prejudice, typical of a backward country."

In addition to the regulation of the gaming sector, Lummertz also said that lack of competitiveness, conditions to monetize investments, legal uncertainty, cost of money prevent the arrival of tourists and the solution of these problems depends on the political will of those who are elected.

Lummertz was chosen for the Ministry of Tourism by President Michel Temer in conjunction with Ministers Carlos Marun; Secretary of Government, Moreira Franco; General Secretariat of the Presidency, MDB leader in the Chamber, Whale Rossi, and the former chief, Marx Beltrão, who stepped down to run for the elections. Upon assuming the portfolio, Lummertz left the chair assumed in 2016 at Embratur, Brazil's foreign promotion body.

Source: GMB