Senator Benedito de Lira defended the legalization of gambling and the
operation of casinos. According to him, this economic activity could generate
essential taxes for Brazil at the moment. He recalled that gaming is legalized
in 156 countries and those who still ban the activity, 75% are Islamic.
The legalization of gambling is a crusade for Senator Alagoas Benedito de
Lira (PP-AL). The senator has always criticized the view that
"gambling" should not be legalized in Brazil because it is associated
with money laundering and contravention.
"I think it's interesting that a lot that condemns the appreciation of the
matter in the National Congress deals with the subject that is money
laundering, it's contravention, it's trafficking ... gaming already exists in
this country clandestinely, but also everyone plays and there is a part of gaming
that is officiall, like lottery.... ", stressed the senator.
According to Benedito de Lira, with the regulation opens up another sector for
the government to tax. "The government will have control mechanisms at the
time that the tribute enters to meet the needs of the population." In
Lira's logic, if gaming is legalized and taxed, the State starts to collect in more
than one sector and does not need to increase the tax burden in others.
The senator - in his calculations - says that the collection can reach US$ 20.5
billion. In an early first stage, it would be US$ 6.3 billion, still according
to his numbers. "Opponents say that gaming leads to drinking…, but what
about it, and smoking, that are both legalized? Now, let's do things without
thinking about mediocrity and regularize this soon," charged the senator.
De Lira has been supporting the activity since 2014. This is the bill number
186 made by the coreligionist of Benedito de Lira, Senator Ciro Nogueira. Since
then the project is already ready for deliberation in plenary.
Source: GMB
