Even with several demonstrations in favor of the project and serious and responsible clarifications, opponents of legal gambling in Brazil continue to force the postponement of Bill 2,234/2022.
The project authorizes the installation of casinos in tourist centers or integrated leisure complexes, under the limit of one casino in each state and the Federal District, with the exception of São Paulo, which could have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas and Pará, in which the limit foreseen for each state is two casinos.
It was the second item on the agenda of the meeting of the Senate Constitution and Justice Committee, but there was not even an open discussion about it. The president of the CCJ, senator Davi Alcolumbre, simply ignored the agenda and did not present the matter to the collegiate.
After the meeting, Alcolumbre admitted that he might appoint an ad hoc rapporteur if Irajá is absent in the next session. In this case, the chosen parliamentarian would have the responsibility only of reading the report issued by another senator due to the absence of the original rapporteur.
The evaluation of the president of the CCJ is that, because of the "controversial" nature of the project, it would be ideal to vote on it with the presence of the original rapporteur. "If Irajá were here, we would vote", he said.
Last week, it was agreed to remove the Bill from the agenda due to the absence of the rapporteur, Senator Irajá, who had already stated that he was in favor of the matter. As he was absent again, the matter did not even come up for discussion.
It was expected, as agreed at a previous meeting of the CCJ, that it would be on the agenda and during the discussion, collective approval would be given to the Bill to be voted on at a face-to-face meeting on June 5th.
With the non-discussion, it is expected that it will come up for discussion in the next session, semi-in-person, and that the senators will ask to see the project. Otherwise, the June 5th deadline may not be respected.
According to the proposal, already approved by the Chamber of Deputies under Bill 442/91, in addition to the legalization of casinos in tourist centers or in integrated leisure, bingo and gambling complexes, gaming houses may also operate on maritime vessels. and rivers, which will follow specific rules. The casino must demonstrate a minimum paid-up share capital of at least R$100 million (US$20 m) and may be accredited for 30 years.
The proposal also establishes rules for the game of bingo in card and electronic formats, and allows in each state the accreditation of one legal entity for every 700 thousand inhabitants to operate the game.
In this case, the authorizations will be valid for 25 years, renewable for the same period. Horse racing may be operated by turf entities (linked to turf) accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture, which may also operate, at the same time, bingo and video bingo games.
In his report, Irajá dismissed as an “indeterminate legal concept” the offense against morals and good customs, used as an argument against gambling, and highlighted that the project seeks to transfer to State control a practice that today constitutes a misdemeanor.
Citing statistics on the legal or illegal betting market, Irajá concludes that “gambling already constitutes a relevant economic activity”.
Source: GMB
