Integrated resorts are hotel developments that offer a wide range of services and facilities aimed at guest entertainment, including casinos.
“Just one project will mobilize more than R$1 billion (US$ 185m) for its implementation. We intend to have at least one (integrated resort) in each state of the federation,” stated Celso Sabino.
“There will be states that may have more than one, given their territorial size and population,” added the minister.
The integrated resorts, according to Sabino, will allow Brazil to “be like other countries in the world that already allow the exploration” of gambling, such as the United States, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, which welcome Brazilians looking for the activity.
“The approval of this project will not allow anyone to enter any bodega and play games of chance. Only within that place (integrated resort) and within a specific area of that location will it be possible to have roulette games, card games, dice games,” he said.
Bill 2234/2022 was approved by the Chamber of Deputies within the scope of Bill 442 in the first half of 2022 and is now being processed in the Senate, where it was approved by the House's main committee, Constitution and Justice.
Under discussion for more than 30 years, the project envisages, in addition to casinos in high-end resorts and hotels, the legalization of jogo do bicho, bingo and betting on horse races outside of racetracks.
Now, there remains a vote in the Plenary and, subsequently, the sanction of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).
The president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), has already declared that the vote should take place after the parliamentary recess – which runs from July 17th to August 1st. Speaking to CNN, Sabino argued that the Plenary process should take place “in the first weeks of August.”
“We created a well-structured project that managed to overcome the Chamber’s barriers. I imagine that the Republic’s senators will also have this commitment,” he stated.
Source: CNN
