The Chamber of Deputies approved, last night, with a vote of 292 Yes, 114 No, 1 Abstention, and 10 Obstruction, the regulation of sports betting and online gaming, the well-known "Betting Bill," which now goes for approval by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
In this new chapter in the history of games and lotteries, special mention is deserved for the leadership, skill, and competence of the Chamber's president, Deputy Arthur Lira, not only in yesterday's vote but also in the first vote on PL 3626/23 and in the political negotiations involving the Chamber and the Federal Senate.
Recognition is also due to the bravery of the members of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, both in the Senate and in the Chamber. They were tireless and pushed the regulatory limits of ideological speeches, obstructions, and Committee and Plenary Amendments. They were defeated, but they fought the good fight, further legitimizing regulation by the National Congress. This sets a good example, much needed in the country, of healthy debate and respectful coexistence in disagreement.
May the accreditations of betting houses by Loterj inspire the Federal Government in the accreditations of the federal license, with companies committed to the best international practices of responsible gaming, fraud prevention, money laundering prevention, and player protection. These are non-negotiable standards for our Autarchy, and we expect the same from the Government of Brazil.
May jobs and taxes, so often spoken about by lawmakers and senators in favor of regulation, come. May the Union, through authorizations by the Ministry of Finance, combat irregular companies, just as we are doing in the State Government of Rio de Janeiro.
May the Union have the institutional, constitutional, and federal wisdom in dealing with State Lotteries in this new regulatory scenario, respecting the federal balance. Remembering that the Supreme Federal Court (STF) put an end to the Union's attempts to monopolize the exploitation of games and lotteries in the country, and may we not witness again gratuitous and even police attacks against state lottery institutions.
The revenue from state lotteries is directly reinvested in the local population through specific social assistance public policies. A new time, a new era, a new Brazil, and a new and much-awaited republican coexistence.
Hazenclever Lopes Cançado
President of Loterj
