During my career, I have traveled to the main industry fairs worldwide, including ICE, G2E, SiGMA, SBC, and many others. "Hey, Cardama, what's wrong with Brazil?" "When will they legalize?" "Bah, they'll never open up there..." and I could add more phrases that international businessmen told me when consulting me about the famous "sleeping giant," a motto that the industry placed on our market.
I tried to explain to them that moving machines in this country takes time, perhaps more time than in the rest of the world. Convincing politicians, debunking myths, overcoming religious concepts, and breaking through a wall in Brazil requires enormous patience and sacrifice. It is an almost artisanal job.
Today, Brazil wakes up to a new moment in its history and in the history of gambling in the country, which is now definitively treated as an important economic activity and no longer with a bias of prejudice.
What was achieved last night in the Chamber of Deputies is the result of years of insistence on data, numbers, statistics, and international best practices. There were thousands of panels, meetings, webinars, debates, and public hearings where advocates for legality explained the advantages of having a regulated, healthy, and transparent market for everyone, whether bettors, operators, or even citizens who do not gamble but benefit from the taxes that the sector contributes to the country.
On this historic night, we won a battle against prejudice and the lack of knowledge of opponents of the betting segment. Lies were told, inaccurate data was presented, and conservatism tried to impose an agenda that no longer makes sense. But all of this was fought, and the truth emerged victorious.
I could mention so many people who were fundamental to this achievement, but I don't want to forget any of them and be unfair. We are more together and united than ever in this battle of years that we will continue to fight because there is still more to do.
We could not imagine a better end to the year. It is time to celebrate, to toast this Christmas with our loved ones. And why not raise a glass also to this regulation that means more work, more funds for a Brazil that needs to meet the needs of those who have the least.
The approved project will provide legal certainty to operators, ensure protection for bettors, and allow the government to collect billions of reais in taxes. Therefore, GMB has plenty of reasons to celebrate because it also helped build this future that begins today.
It is the last edition of the year, and I write these lines happily because I could not end 2023 better. Thank you for the constant support to all our friends. They are also the architects of legalization first and regulation later.
As the most important media outlet in the country, for 2024, we commit to continue informing, opining, analyzing, always with the doors of GMB open to the entire industry.
Congratulations, Brazil! The giant has awakened, is in good health, and is heading for much more.
Carlos Cardama
CEO of Games Magazine Brasil
