In the last two years the gaming legalization topic has gained space in the media, in the National Congress and in the Executive Branch. It is increasingly evident that wasting a source of estimated US$ 8.8billion is an error that Brazil should not insist on. Especially in a time of crisis, scarcity of resources and need to stimulate economic activity.
No wonder, almost at the same time, the House and Senate have taken from the drawer Laws to make legal forms that already exist in the country clandestinely. Earlier this year, the Senate Constitution and Justice Commission already voted against PLS 186, which authorizes the exploration of bingos, jogo do bicho, video games and other betting modalities. The focus now, therefore, is concentrated in the Chamber of Deputies, which has the chance to create, in a first moment, more than 400 thousand direct jobs in Brazil.
The release of at least the casinos has been getting broad support from current Minister Vinicius Lummertz and deputies to be approved under the new General Tourism Law, which in turn, should be voted on urgently. The idea would be to include the theme of the casinos in the section of the proposal that deals with the regulation of the resorts. And, thus, guarantee that states of up to 15 million inhabitants receive a casino; states between 15 and 25 million would receive two, and states with more than 25 million would have three. We can not miss this opportunity, but the project has limitations that leave much to be desired the yearnings and vocation of Rio de Janeiro.
The choice of Rio de Janeiro as a pilot project to concentrate a casino center is as obvious as it is pragmatic. The largest investors in the sector are coming to the city to probe the market and have already shown an intention to install seven or eight units here. After all, we already have the Porto Maravilha and Barra da Tijuca - our "resort district" by nature. These are areas that have been prepared for the Olympic Games, with ready-made hotel and transportation structures that need to be occupied, thereby generating more jobs, income and development for the entire state. Exhausted today as they are, these are scenarios that are prone to violence that both carioca and the country are concerned about. Besides the city of Rio de Janeiro, Búzios and Cabo Frio also have tourism potential to receive investments from the sector.
It is urgent to draw our legislators' attention to the opportunity we have to exploit to the maximum the possibilities that the activity allows. The Brazilian online betting business is likely to become the second largest regulated market in the world. Businessmen from many countries are watching our potential. But the arrival of investors of weight of the sector will depend not only on the liberation of the Congress as of the regulation that the Brazilian government will do. Some countries in Europe, Spain and England, for example, can serve as a reference because they already have legislation for online gaming.
When we talk about gaming, we can not leave out the bingos. Until banned in 2004, each bingo house generated at least 100 jobs in different areas of the economy: food (bars and restaurants); culture (shows, theater, cinema); entertainment (games, television); products (books, furniture, machinery, uniforms, cleaning supplies, building materials); services (taxi, cleaning, security, law, marketing, accounting); technology (graphics, internet, IT). It would not be a bad idea to take advantage of the General Tourism Law to include besides the casinos, the bingos.
The lawmaker can still use the bill to benefit two categories of workers who have suffered most from the recession of recent years: the young first-time job and the seniors. A law that would guarantee quotas for the apprentice and for the senior to work in these enterprises would make a great difference to the country.
Gaming is an opportunity for Brazil. That should be used so that everyone wins with it.
Sérgio Ricardo de Almeida
President of the Lottery of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Loterj)
