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Brazil – Deputy urges lower house to debate gaming bill immediately

By - 29 November 2017

Deputy Joao Carlos Bacelar Batista has urged lawmakers in the Lower House to vote for pro gaming legislation and decide on the issue once and for all.

Mr Bacelar strongly defended the legalisation of gaming in Brazil in a speech in the plenary session on Tuesday (November 28).

During his speech, he countered claims that the new law would lead to gambling addiction, defended gaming due to the additional tax revenue it would bring to the state especially in the areas of health, education and social security and said that President of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies Rodrigo Maia should put the new law on the legislative agenda for debate immediately.

Taking to the floor of the House, he said: “We lost over R$20bn a year without legalisation. Almost $3bn is lost only via online games. It is hypocritical to say that, with illegality, Brazilians will stop gambling. We have slot machines, the “Jogo do Bicho” (the “Animal Game” a highly popular street lottery) and new ways of betting, on every corner.” In a strongly worded speech the deputy went onto say that, the industry had been waiting for Brazil to change its gaming laws for 25 years.

“I would like to point out that no society has the option of gambling and not gambling, and the only option we have is legal gambling or gambling. And Brazil must legalise gaming. There are millions of Brazilians who bet daily on the “Jogo do Bicho”, on lotteries, and on the internet. Speaking of the internet, it is worth remembering that we have more than 400 international betting sites operating in Brazil today, bets that generate annual prizes of about R$9bn. If we apply the average taxation used worldwide, this would annually result in a revenue for Brazil of R$2.7bn for internet betting alone that could be invested in social security, education, and health care in a country where public services are in a miserable situation.”

The lawmaker concluded by saying that: “We need to make a decision urgently. Mr Rodrigo Maia needs to be in charge of this matter, which has been under discussion in this House for tens of years, and the Special Committee has already issued its report. Here is an appeal to President Rodrigo Maia and to all Members of Parliament: we urgently need make a decision on this issue and legalise gambling in Brazil. ”
Separate bills, are currently under consideration in the Senate and the House of Deputies. In the Senate pro gaming, law (PLS 186/2016) is currently under debate in the House Committee on Constitution, Justice and Citizenship (CCJ). Meanwhile, the bill in the House of Deputies (PL 442/91) has already been approved by a special committee and is ready to be voted on. Both bills seek to allow gaming in order to create jobs, boost tourism and increase tax revenue for the state.

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