At dawn this Sunday, the Civil Police of São Paulo closed a clandestine casino in Vila Olímpia, where there was agglomeration, disrespecting the social distance recommended in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the practice of gambling, which are prohibited in Brazil. There were more than 150 people at the site, among them striker Gabriel Barbosa, Gabigol, from Flamengo, and popular singer MC Gui. Federal deputy Alexandre Frota (PSDB-SP) denounced the establishment.
The presence of the football player in the clandestine casino once again puts the practice of gambling, banned in Brazil since 1946. The presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM- MG), recently signaled that the legalization of the activity is one of the priority themes to be evaluated until the end of the current legislature.
The casino in which Gabigol was detained is not the first one that operates illegally in the pandemic. In July last year, when the state government began to ease the reopening of establishments such as shopping malls and gyms, Painel SA reported that bingos also sent notices to their regulars, mostly elderly, warning that they would return to operating with a mask, alcohol gel and sanitized machines.
The legalization of casinos and establishments where gambling is practiced has been the subject of discussions in the country, mainly in the National Congress. The ban was established on April 30, 1946, through Decree-Law 9,215, signed by President Eurico Gaspar Dutra. According to reports at the time, the last legal game of roulette in Brazil was held at the Copacabana Palace.
With the ban, clandestine casinos were opened, a fact that was remembered even in recent works of Brazilian television drama. Some of these spaces operate in small locations, which use other façade activities, separated by false walls. The same happens in larger places, located in upscale neighborhoods of large urban centers. Dice and card games, slot machines, roulette and bingo are some examples of games of chance.
Addiction and money laundering are the main arguments used in favor of maintaining the law in force. Brazilians usually enjoy trips abroad, on trips to Las Vegas, in the United States, and Punta del Este, in Uruguay, to enjoy gambling.
Article 50 of the Criminal Misdemeanor Law states that anyone who establishes or exploits gambling in a public place or accessible to the public, upon payment of entry or without it, is subject to simple imprisonment, from three months to one year and a fine. The prison can be extended if there is participation or work by children under 18. Anyone found participating in the activity can also receive a fine from R$ 2,000 to R$ 200,000, even if on the internet or by any other means of communication.
At the time of the initial application of the law, it is speculated that more than 40,000 workers who were connected to this market were unemployed. Currently, the generation of jobs and the collection of taxes from casinos are some of the justifications given by those who defend a new legislation of the activity.
The presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and the Federal Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG), recently signaled that the legalization of gambling is one of the priority themes to be evaluated until the end of the current legislature. It is argued that the casinos would also stimulate the reception of more tourists in Brazil.
In 2019, the Ministry of Tourism recorded a record revenue in the sector: R$ 136.7 billion. The country received about 6.2 million foreign tourists, a low number compared to neighboring and European countries. The Louvre Museum, for example, received 7.6 million foreign visitors in 2018.
Source: GMB / O Globo / O Estado de S.Paulo
