The rapporteur of Bill 2234/2022, which authorizes the operation of casinos, bingo halls and jogo do bicho in physical establishments in Brazil, stated that physical modalities are the “good” and “responsible” part of gaming compared to online gaming. He also defended the idea that the Brazilian government has greater capacity to monitor people’s access to physical establishments, which would help reduce the problems observed in the case of online gaming.
The text was approved by the Senate’s CCJ (Constitution and Justice Committee) in June and in a close vote — there were 14 votes in favor and 12 against. As happened in the Chamber, the evangelical bench tried to prevent its approval, without success.
For Irajá, the controversies involving betting, such as the population’s debt and income compromise due to compulsive online gambling, are a sensitive topic, but they do not affect the discussions of the bill that authorizes casinos, bingo halls and jogo do bicho. In the CCJ, he removed sections of the bill approved by the Chamber that dealt with online games —in 2023, Congress approved a proposal on the subject.
"I am even more excited about the approval of the physical games bill. Because, in fact, physical games are the good part of games, because they generate jobs, income, and they move the real economy, the construction industry," he says.
"The indicators from other countries that have already approved land-based gambling, responsible gambling, prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that these were the right decisions, that [land-based gambling] boosted tourism in those countries. This is the scenario we are also seeing here in Brazil."
Irajá also says that, in addition to casinos generating larger investments than online gambling and generating more jobs and income, they also have another advantage over betting: oversight.
"The government is able to oversee. If you have a physical establishment, you can send the police to inspect, you can control people's access, the Federal Revenue Service can audit, so it's different," he says. "Now, they are going to close in on online gambling companies. They operate in other countries, many of which are tax havens. How do you prevent children and teenagers from accessing these sites?"
For the senator, allowing gambling in physical establishments would also help in combating organized crime. "We are going to create a much healthier environment, because we are going to invite serious and reputable companies to enter this market. Today, the market is completely dominated by militias and organized crime."
Irajá sees the possibility of the project being voted on after the elections, still in October. "We have the necessary support for this agenda to be voted on and approved," he says. "It is not a religious agenda, it is not an ideological agenda. It is a positive economic agenda for Brazil."
Source: Folha
