The rapporteur for the bill tha legalizes casinos, bingos and jogo do bicho in Brazil, Senator Irajá Silvestre Filho (PSD-TO), stated that the vote on the proposal in the Senate depends on the “temperature cooling down” and on efforts to change public opinion.
He stressed the need to change public opinion on the issue and hopes that the bill will be approved this year, as highlighted in a Veja report.
During his participation in a meeting with businessmen from the LIDE group, Irajá commented on the frequent conversations with the President of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), and highlighted that there is optimism regarding the approval of the bill.
The project passed the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) in June, with a tight score of 14 votes in favor and 12 against. It had been approved in the Chamber of Deputies in 2022 and since then has undergone several debates, changes in the voting date and maneuvers by parliamentarians opposed to the agenda.
With the green light by the CCJ, the text moved forward to a vote in the Senate Plenary. If approved again, it will be sent to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for approval.
“I have been talking almost daily with Senator Rodrigo Pacheco. We are waiting for the temperature to cool down a bit, but I am convinced that this year we will approve the bill. We already have the necessary votes, the conviction of the senators, at least the majority,” said the rapporteur during an event with businessmen from the LIDE group, in São Paulo.
Irajá Silvestre Filho stated that the resistance to the so-called Casino Bill in the Senate is of an “ideological” nature, mainly influenced by evangelical groups. He highlighted the need to promote a “change in public opinion” about gambling in order to move forward with the proposal.
“I am convinced that what does not kill you makes you stronger. And the sector will emerge much stronger from this phase that we are facing with public opinion,” said Irajá.
He also stressed to the businessmen at the event that he “did not fall out of the blue” in the reporting of the bill and that approval should be scheduled this year.
The seminar was attended by political authorities, the judiciary and private sector leaders such as Senator Irajá Silvestre, Federal Deputy Felipe Carreras, Judge Lia Porto, Sérgio Pompilio (President of CONAR), Fernando Capez (former Secretary of Consumer Protection for the Government of SP), Hazenclever Cançado (President of LOTERJ), Plinio Jorge (President of ANJL), Edisio Pereira Neto (President of ZRO Bank), Chieko Aoki (President of Blue Tree Hotéis), Caio Carvalho (former Minister of Tourism of Brazil) and Marcos Arbaitman (Head of Tourism at LIDE).
Source: GMB
