Carreras said that "the estimate is that gaming verticals that are operating illegally could be raising BLR 80 billion (USD 14.4bln)."
The deputy explained that the main bias in the regularization of gaming is the tourism flag and explained that the health crisis caused by COVID-19 led Brazil to a large increase in unemployment. “We have 14 million unemployed, a growth of 14% since the beginning of the pandemic. The gaming secto and large integrated casinos are tourist products that encourage activity and generate jobs,” he commented.
According to the rapporteur of the Regulatory Framework for Gaming, its text is practically ready and only awaits the signaling of the President of the Chamber, Deputy Arthur Lira, for the project to be submitted to the Plenary.
Asked about the connection of gaming with money laundering, association with criminal organizations and the risk of addiction, Carreras commented that “there is no option of not gaming, as we have millions of Brazilians who play in official government lotteries. That is, betting games are present as well as online gaming. The jogo do bicho is present and everyone knows that in real Brazil it exists.”
According to him, with the legal activity Brazil will be able to collect. “We were at the headquarters of the Federal Police, the Public Ministry and the Federal Revenue, making our report available so that we have items and components to protect and curb illegal gaming that gives space to criminality. It is very easy for the government and law enforcement agencies to have everyone playing in the palm of their hand, as we are going to ban cash gaming. With that, the government will have every condition to track every financial movement.”
"Brazil will be able to generate more than BLR 20 billion (USD 3.6 bln) in taxes with legalized gaming, which could be invested in the country, in addition to the jobs that could be generated," defended the congressman.
According to the rapporteur, it will be up to the federal government, through a regulatory agency, to authorize everything from the large casino with an integrated resort, to tourist casinos, bingo halls and jogo do bicho.
All of this, in his opinion, is part of the goals of the WG of the Regulatory Framework for Gaming. “Caixa’s lotteries raise BLR 17 billion (USD 3.06 bln) and we could add another BLR 80 billion(USD 14.4 bln) with the other gaming verticals. In other words, Brazil is losing more than BLR 20 billion (USD 3.6 bln) in taxes alone. We also defend jobs. With legal gaming, we could generate over 1 million new jobs. Today, there are more than 600,000 informal workers who would be brought in for formality,” he guarantees.
“Brazil has to look at its deficiencies and it needs to generate jobs and have a new tourist product from casinos integrated into resorts and legalize what is working illegally and generate taxes and jobs. I repeat, the word is employment and opportunity,” he attested.
Source: GMB
