“I asked the following question: Minister, it is not possible that the whole world is wrong and only Brazil is right. So, these countries that legalized and regulated responsibly said enough about illegal gambling. They created a new business environment in the countries, generating jobs, income, doubling the number of tourists who started visiting them,” said Senator Irajá upon leaving the Ministry of Finance after meeting with Fernando Haddad. And he reinforced: “We are talking here about the creation of almost one and a half million new jobs.”
Irajá presented Haddad with technical studies that indicate the generation of almost R$22 billion (US$ 3.95bn) in new taxes per year. “I believe that he [Haddad] was convinced that it is a project that will bring good to the country and the Brazilian population,” said the senator.
Haddad received data from Irajá about the international experience of legalizing gambling. According to the senator, all OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries already allow games.
At the end of the meeting, both spoke in a post by Senator Irajá on its Instagram.
“Today I am having the pleasure of visiting our Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, presenting the project to legalize gaming, betting and integrated resorts as a strategic project for our economy, to generate jobs, income and of course, to promote the Brazilian tourism, which could become one of the greatest powers in the world,” said Irajá alongside Haddad.
“I came here personally to thank the minister for his support and of course, to also have this official demonstration of support from the Ministry of Finance.”
The answer could not be more appropriate for the sector, which has been fighting for more than 30 years for the legalization of all types of gambling in Brazil:
“Senator, thank you for your visit, it’s a pleasure to welcome you. Especially with an intelligent team with good ideas. Practically all OECD countries, almost all G20 countries and looking across the globe, almost all countries, more than 90% have regulated the sector, as long as it is well disciplined, well done, moralized with the supervision of the Brazilian state, protecting the citizen. It is something that can generate jobs and income for our country,” stated the Minister of Finance Fernando Haddad.
“I want to congratulate you. We just made some suggestions, some drafting amendments to improve the text that will help a lot to discipline this in Brazil and moralize an area of ??business expansion within strict rules to protect society,” concluded Haddad.
On his way out, the senator once again reflected on his conviction that the matter “is ripe to be voted on in the Plenary and we have the necessary support to approve this project, which is strategic for the economy.”
“We are not dealing here with an ideological agenda, it is an economic, social agenda, the generation of jobs, income, taxes that will be invested in projects in essential areas," he told journalists at the door of the Ministry of Finance.
Source: GMB
