In conversations, reunions and closed meetings, a group of deputies outlines the strategy to pass in the Chamber a proposal that allows the reopening of casinos, the legalization of bingos and other modalities such as the jogo do bicho, slot machines and online gaming. The action includes guiding the project in the plenary already for November, without fanfare.
It is also in the plans of the parliamentarians to promote a minimum number of public hearings, one of them involving the Federal Revenue and the Council for the Control of Financial Activities (Coaf). The tactic is not to give much space to sectors that oppose the plan, but to break the resistance with the argument that the matter will proceed within the limits of the law.
The proposal debated by the working group (WG) created by the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), dates from 1991 and creates the Regulatory Framework for Gaming. In the meetings, the deputies evaluate how to convince the evangelical bench and left wings, against the activity, to at least not work against the proposal.
President of the WG and of the Chamber's Tourism Committee, deputy Bacelar (Podemos-BA) has told colleagues that he and deputy Vermelho (PSD-PR) convinced Lira to create the collegiate and count on the support of the head of the House, who would have asked for discretion. To GLOBO, Bacelar claims not to know Lira's position, but said he hoped to have his support:
“We went to the president (Lira) and said that we have a 2016 project ready to vote. And he took over and told us, 'Come on, let's face it. But let them work without a lot of spotlight, without much public hearing, and I embrace the issue,’” reported Bacelar in a closed meeting with allies.
Lobbyist performance
Lobbyists who have been working for years in the Chamber for the release of the activity also participate in WG meetings, under the seal of consultants. The group already articulates a reaction to the statement by President Jair Bolsonaro to magazine Veja, that it will veto the legalization of gaming if Congress approves it.
The closest member of the WG to current government, deputy Bibo Nunes (PSL-RS), said he was surprised by the president's position: “The legalization of gaming will leverage tourism, generate foreign exchange and thousands of jobs. This position of the president today is pressure from the evangelical bench, but he will change.”
WG deputies believe they have the support of more than half of the 513 deputies. They say that most evangelicals support the legalization of gaming, but that they prefer not to publicly position themselves. And if Bolsonaro insists on the veto, they will work to overthrow him.
“Totally mistaken the president's statement, using reverse arguments. Whoever loses the most with gaming in illegality is the State, which fails to collect billions. The president does this to please his religious base, but he has to think about employment. If he vetos, we'll take it down. Rest assured,” said Bacelar.
The participation of the Revenue and Coaf in one of the public hearings aims to dissociate the activity of gaming from criminality, as one of the members of the group stated, in a closed meeting. “We're going to call them to show that things are going well. And (listening to them) will break the discourse of those who are against opening a casino, associating the activity with money laundering,” added Bacelar.
The deputies want to implement “resort casinos” in the country, large complexes with hotels, shops and gaming venues. According the accounts of this group, to build a space like this, the investment is in the billions of reais.
The members of the WG believe that they have an ally in the Chief of Staff, Ciro Nogueira. The senator, who is now at the Palácio do Planalto, is the author of a project that legalizes gaming.
Rapporteur of the project, Deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE) also defends the regulation of the popular jogo do bicho. Like his allies, he usually argues that, if not legalized, the activity will continue to exist throughout Brazil, but being exploited by offenders: “It is better to be in the light, regulated, than in the dark (in illegality)”.
Source: Evandro Éboli - O Globo
