Former Brazil´s Senate presidente may assume rapporteur role for gaming regulation

In recent demonstrations in the Senate, the former president of the House, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), has defended that resources generated with the legalization of the gaming sector in Brazil can be used to pay the minimum wage for nursing in Brazil.

Now, he can be made official as the rapporteur of Bill 442/91, which deals with the regulatory framework for gaming in Brazil and which was approved in the Chamber of Deputies earlier this year.

In addition to Alcolumbre, Senators Angelo Coronel (PSD-BA) and Irajá (PSD-TO) would be listed for the same posiiton.

Shelved by the Senate president, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), the bill may be processed again, although there is no deadline for voting on the matter in plenary.

Bill 442/91 provides for permanent or temporary licenses for the exploitation of gaming in Brazil, including bingos, casinos, jogo do bicho and resorts with integrated casinos, in addition to horse racing operations. If the project passes as it is, each state will be allowed to have one casino, with the exception of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, which may have two, and Sao Paulo, with three. Due to their dimensions, Amazonas and Pará could have two casinos each.

The project also allows the so-called river casinos, with one establishment per river, with an extension between 1500 km and 2500 km; two with a river between 2500 km and 3500 km; three, at most, when the river extends for more than 3500 km. The maximum is 10 venues. These vessels cannot be anchored in the same location for more than 30 consecutive days, and the concession can be for up to ten establishments. The text meets resistance in the evangelical wing of Congress, which points to facilitation in money laundering and increase in gambling addictions. The opposition is also against the approval of the matter and argues that casinos do not create jobs and will not be a major attraction for tourism, and that it would only lead to income concentration.

Alcolumbre has already discussed the matter, including with representatives of hospitals who see the project as an opportunity to finance nurses' floor wage. Alcolumbre will receive thid Tuesday (21) the Confederation of Holy Houses and Philanthropic Hospitals to talk about the topic.

The senator was the rapporteur in the Plenary of PEC 11/22, which adds to the Constitution the floor for nurses and nursing technicians. While reading the report, he defended the legalization of gaming as a way to pay for the salary increase.

Source: GMB