Operator News
Brazil – Brazil could see casinos under construction next year
By Phil - 30 October 2017
The President of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies Rodrigo Maia has assured his political allies that new gaming legislation will be put forward for a vote in November.
The issue is gaining traction following the formation of a parliamentary front in favour of new gaming laws made up of 262 deputies.
Representative for the front, Deputy Nelson Marquezelli affirmed that once the project is approved then the construction of casinos could begin as early as next year. Speaking to local daily Veja, Marquezelli said: “Hotel chains in Guarujá, Campinas and São José do Rio Preto have already expressed an interest.”
Maia’s assurances come after the formation of the Front for the Parliament Approval of the Regulatory Framework for Gaming in Brazil: a group that seeks to promote Bill 442/1991, which would legalise casinos in order to boost the tourism industry as well as other types of gaming.
Deputy Maia has been a long time supporter of large-scale casinos as part of entertainment complexes and resorts. Speaking at the state meeting of his party in July 2016, the right leaning Democrats Party (Democratas, DEM) Rodrigo Maia said: “I am in favour of gaming as being part of the chain of entertainment, in favour of casinos and resorts as investment in the network of events and also gaming. This path will bring billions and billions to Brazil. Today, Brazil has eight thousand illegal machines and nobody does anything about it. Either you make progress towards something serious, or you end up with what you have already – money laundering every day,” he said. Maia was elected as President of the House in July 2016 in the second round ballot with 285 votes versus 170. He plays a key role in the new policies of the government namely cutting public spending and opening up the economy.
Furthermore, in May this year it was revealed that President of the Parliamentary Front in Defence of Tourism in Congress (FRENTUR), Herculano Passos had mediated meetings between Chairman of Las Vegas Sands Sheldon Adelson, President Michel Temer and Deputy Maia.
In the Chamber of Deputies gaming law would allow for casinos within wider leisure complexes. In August 2016, a special commission approved the latest draft put forward by Deputy Guilherme Mussi. States with more than 25 million inhabitants would be permitted to have a maximum of three casinos. States with populations between 15 million and 25 million may have two, and those with less than 15 million inhabitants may have one casino. Licences would be granted for 30 years. The bill would allow for bingo and electronic bingo which would come under the supervision of the municipal governments with the number of bingo machines on site depending on the size of the population. Meanwhile the popular “Jogo do Bicho” or “Animal Game would be legalised and be put under the control of the state.
