Brazilian businessmen who had to leave Brazil after the
prohibition of gambling are planning to return to the country in view of the
possibility of passing two bills under way in the House and Senate. Most of
them founded companies that became a reference in the world market for
equipment for bingo halls and casinos.
Defender of liberation of the activity, the Ortiz family left Brazil with the
STF (Federal Court of Justice) decision that made bingos illegal in 2007.
Alejandro Ortiz and his brother Johnny founded two companies abroad: Ortiz and
Zitro, which are today among the leaders of the sector.
"Today, all businessmen in the industry, Brazilian or foreign, follow the
evolution of legislation," says Johnny Ortiz. Arlindo Figueiredo, director
of Ajes, a network that brings together 200 interested in opening gaming establishments
once the activity returns, says that the profile of those who went abroad is
common.
One of the members, 7Games, which develops software for bingos and slot machines,
is based in Florida. Moacir Filho, its President, says he is preparing the
translation of the software into Portuguese, pending legalization. "I'm
going to do the reverse of what I did in 2001 when I came to the US."
Another interested in returning to the gaming activity in Brazil is José Carlos
Baungartner, who began his career in 1994 with the Vegas Way (then became RCT),
left the country in 2007, invested in the Peruvian market and today is a
reference in more than ten countries. Currently, it is being approved for
marketing in the United States.
"The desire to return to work in Brazil is professional, because it is a
very large market, but we also have relatives who stayed there and we always
believe that one day we will be able to return," says Hugo Baungartner,
company director and son of José Carlos.
No problems with the law
In the draft laws in process there is a rule that should prevent businessmen
who already have some conviction for crimes from acting in the country. "Attestations
will be required for absence of criminal records, negative certificates of tax
debts and other requirements of suitability," explains Luiz Felipe Maia, a
partner at FYMSA Advogados.
However, even some of the former bingo entrepreneurs cannot return to the
market for the predicted convictions, their Brazilian operations can be made on
behalf of other representatives.
Fabio Kujawski, a partner at Mattos Filho, believes that it is important to
have criteria to attract people of unimpeachable reputation, eliminating the
perception that gambling is a criminal association.
"In countries such as the US, where the largest companies in the sector
have public capital, there is no such perception," he says.
Source: GMB / Folha de S. Paulo
