The legalization of casinos in Brazil was discussed by the president of the
Parliamentary Front in Defense of Tourism (Frentur), federal deputy Herculano
Passos (PSD-SP), at the 91st Meeting of the National Forum of State Tourism
Officers (Fornatur). The Forum is chaired by the secretary of Pernambuco, Felipe
Carreras.
The deputy explained to the secretaries present that two proposals for the
legalization of gambling are processed in the Congress. One in the House and
one in the Senate. The first (PL 442/91) was analyzed and approved by the
Special Commission on the Regulatory Framework for Gambling in Brazil and is
ready to be voted on in the plenary of the House.
For this, the mayor, Deputy Rodrigo Maia, needs to put it on the agenda, which
should not happen before the votation on social security, political and labor
reforms are finalized (which has already been approved in the Chamber, but may
come back , if there is an amendment by the Senate).
Already in the Senate, the gaming legalization project (PLS 186/14) was
analyzed and approved by the Special Committee of National Development and sent
to vote in plenary. "However, the parliamentarians decided that the matter
should also be analyzed by the Commission on Constitution, Justice and
Citizenship. The project was then sent to the collegiate body and is awaiting
the opinion of the rapporteur and then to return to the plenary. If approved, it
will go to the Chamber that, in this case, will be the house reviewer," explained
Herculano.
At the meeting, Frentur president also reported on the meeting with CEO and
executives of Las Vegas Sands Coporation, the operator of the world's largest
casino, the Venetian Macao, located in Macau, China. The parliamentarian
mediated meetings of the delegation with the Presidents of the Republic, Michel
Temer, and the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia.
The Sands Group controls 10 casinos in the world, that are operated within
integrated leisure complexes. This type of structure is, precisely, determined
in both the House and Senate bills for the operation of casinos in Brazil.
"When the casinos are allowed here, they will have to operate in complexes
that contain, in addition to the gaming space, luxury hotel, shopping mall,
restaurants, entertainment spaces, convention center and other leisure areas. Sands
group wants to open three complexes of these kind in Brazil and came here to
demonstrate this interest," revealed Herculano.
Three is the maximum number of casinos that a same group can exploit, according
to the bills that are processed in Congress. There is also a limitation on the
number of such gaming venues per state, as explained by the deputy.
Herculano also commented that the term of concession of the casinos should be
for a period of up to 30 years, renewable successively for an equal period. And
that the Union will take into account the following factors for the
implementation of casinos:
Source: GMB
