Discussions returned about the reopening of casinos in Brazil, which became a purely economic issue, involving the generation of foreign exchange and taxes for the country. Any manifestation to the contrary, alleging ethical, moral, social aspects, etc., no longer has an echo in society and becomes part of the many hypocrisies of our political environment. One way or another, everyone is playing. Gaming financed by the government itself proliferate, making the country a large open-air casino, not to mention the jogo do bicho and clandestine casinos, including bingos.
Since the prohibition of gambling by the Dutra government, in 1946, several attempts have been made to return the casinos, always meeting some resistance from the more conservative segments. A few who are “against” claim that the country has enough natural beauty to stimulate tourism, but Brazilians go to Punta Del Este and Viña del Mar to play.
It is Brazil generating jobs and foreign exchange in its neighbors. Those who are “against” allege that the activity in Brazil can become an inducer of corruption. Small talk: there are casinos in Asia, Scandinavia and Canada, regions with much lower corruption rates than ours.
The reopening of casinos in Brazil could generate up to 300,000 jobs, direct and indirect, in the gaming sector, in the increase of tourism and in the artistic environment, with new stages for presentation and consequent appreciation of national artists.
In high season, the gaming tables at the Casino Conrad in Punta Del Este welcome up to 250,000 tourists. In Chile, the opening of new casinos in the country is allowed, in addition to the already traditional one in Viña Del Mar. Other Latin countries such as Venezuela, Peru, Costa Rica and Argentina encourage the establishment of casinos.
Some bills were presented by parliamentarians aware of the economic advantages of reopening the gaming sector. One of them foresees the installation of casinos in Pantanal, Amazonas, Acre, Amapá, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará and Rondônia, taking tourists to places with natural beauty, but little sought after by travel agencies.
Another proposes the use of the existing architectural structure, with the reactivation of the casinos in São Lourenço, Caxambu, Lambari, Poços de Caldas, Araxá, Porchat and Quitandinha Islands, with a significant reduction in investments.
Just as the Americans took tourists to the desert, with the inclusion of Indians in the concession process, the interiorization of Brazilian casinos would certainly lead to the development of internal tourism, with the creation of thousands of jobs and generation of resources for social programs in the government.
With or without a casino, gambling in Brazil is an irreversible process. The official reopening of the casinos is not only of interest to the offenders of the gaming sector and to moralistic cynicism.
Nacib Hetti
ACMinas Director
