According to the Bahian senator, the legalization and subsequent regulation of all forms of gambling has the potential to inject up to R$ 50 billion into the economy, in addition to generating 700 thousand direct jobs. “Only three countries in the world - Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia- prohibit gambling. It's absurd. Brazil loses billions, money that the government could use to fight poverty,” comments Colonel.
In the Senate, the legislator will present the report as a substitute for Bill 2648/19. Roberto Rocha's proposal (PSDB-MA) legalizes casinos in resorts, but the rapporteur defends the legalization of all modalities.
In the past legislature the bill has already circulated but lost steam in the Senate thanks to senator Magno Malta, the Bolsonarist who lost his reelection. Colonel relies on approval now. Just to remember, different gaming options are already legalized in Brazil, like the lotteries of Caixa Economica Federal. But only government can operate.
“Gaming is already part of the life of most Brazilians, and I advocate that all verticals be legalized. The moment is one of union to save lives and speed up vaccination, but we also need to think about the post-pandemic and overcome hypocrisy to contribute to the resumption of the economy and generate jobs and income!”, concludes Colonel.
Angelo Coronel argues that the time has come for religious and non-religious groups to unite so that the matter passes through Congress, since the jogo do bicho, for example, "is a cultural program" of the Brazilian. "Today it is a custom. They play from evangelicals to priests, from doctors to lawyers, from policemen to politicians. A large part of them bet on the jogo do bicho, but they do it clandestinely. It's time for us to legalize it," he says.
The senator also affirms that the project foresees awareness campaigns for people with addiction to gambling and that current ‘bicheiros’ (operator of jogo do bicho) would have to register in public notices to regulate their situation. The text, defends Angelo Coronel, would also give the ministries of Economy and Regional Development, or a regulatory agency, the task of supervising and regulating casinos, just as Caixa now handles federal lotteries. "Whoever wants to play, plays. No one is obliged to do it," defends the senator.
Source: GMB
