Taking advantage of the fragility of Rio de Janeiro's Public Security structure under federal intervention since February, the banned video gaming houses have multiplied.
Survey of the NGO Disque-Denuncia shows that information on clandestine bingos more than doubled in the first half of the year, comparing with the same period of 2017. Between January and July 2018 were 697 reports, against 336 last year, an increase of 107%.
The denunciations of the operation of illegal venues for the first seven months of this year are already surpassing the total of 2017, when 796 reports were registered. The data of Disque-Denuncia, an NGO that for more than 20 years helps society in the fight against crime, are the only reference regarding the presence of illegal gambling in the state. The Institute of Public Security (ISP) autarchy precisely established to gather and analyze crimes, with the aim of subsidizing non-research security policies, therefore does not disclose, the incidence of bingo clandestine or slot machine. That is, in Rio, gaming survives even hidden from official statistics.
The survey shows that clandestine bingos are installed in several municipalities, most of them in the capital. Cascadura, Copacabana, Tijuca, Centro and Botafogo are the neighborhoods that most welcome the illegal gaming houses. Outside the capital, Niterói, São Gonçalo and Nova Iguaçu are among the municipalities where the activity feels more comfortable to operate.
Military police
In addition to Disque-Denuncia, it seems that only the Military Police is concerned with the expansion of illegal gambling. Between April and June, the PM Corregedoria, through the 4th Military Judiciary Police Station, closed three bingos in Niterói and one in São Gonçalo. 213 machines were seized. One hundred and seven people, including officials and bettors, were arrested.
In the Lagos region, where Niterói's countercriminals try to impose clandestine gaming, the 32nd BPM (Macaé) closed in the first half of this year, no less than 22 bingos. Most of them, 13, in Rio das Ostras. In total, the 32nd BPM Reserved Service Agents seized 448 machines.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Ibiapina, commander of the Battalion of Macaé, in general, illegal bingos play in the same way: in secret and with a very restricted access. "They do not open doors for anyone and they work hidden, in discrete places, most of the times between the 3pm to midnight, from Monday to Monday."
Gaming legalization is barred
Since the prohibition of gambling in the country in 1946, there have been many attempts at legalization. All without success. In March, the Senate's Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee (CCJ) opposed the bill's approval (PLS 186/2014) authorizing the use of bingos, jogo do bicho, video games and other betting modalities.
One of those who also seems to be against the activity is Senator Magno Malta (PR-ES). He said that the argument that legalizing gambling will create jobs and bring to the public coffers about US$4 billion of taxes a year is unrealistic and that countries that have released gaming face high costs because of problems and pathologies associated with gambling addiction. "Will the benefits of legalizing gambling outweigh the costs? For experts, the answer is no."
US$5.4 billion in illegal betting
Senator Nogueira (PP-PI) is the author of the project that legalizes games of chance and the opening of casinos in the Country.
According to him, the objective is to guarantee more money to the public coffers, besides generating thousands of jobs. The senator said there is a "smoke screen", as if gaming was no longer a reality. "Brazil today is one of the countries with more gambling in the world.”
For Senator Benedito de Lira (PP-AL), legalization would end with clandestine gambling houses. "Making this activity transparent will greatly help in the fight against money laundering. Legalization will also allow care for gambling addicts who, in today's clandestinity, have no way out," he said.
Source: GMB / O Dia
