"In Rio, we are planning to restructure the police and jointly to combat, for example, crimes such as money laundering. And we have to generate employment and income," the governor revealed during the event.
Wilson Witzel took advantage of the inauguration ceremony of the president of Petrobras to defend the legalization of the activity, although he admitted that the theme did not have much connection with the solemnity that participated.
During his campaign, Witzel said he wants to turn tourism into the "new oil" of the state, and wants TurisRio, the public sector company, to be a "new Petrobras". It has set as a goal that the annual number of visitors reaches 12 million, ten times more than the current volume of foreigners in Rio and almost double the number of tourists arriving in Brazil.
For this reason, he has maintained in his statements the intention that Rio de Janeiro has casinos that can generate even more interest in tourists from Brazil and foreigners to visit the state and, consequently, to obtain a higher tax collection besides the movement of people.
Rio de Janeiro seems to be the state most interested in legalization these days. Yesterday words of the governor are in line with recent request of help of Rio’s Mayor, Marcelo Crivella, to the new president Jair Bolsonaro so that he helps him to install a casino of Las Vegas Sands Group in Porto Maravilha, and also similar to the opinion column of the newspaper O Globo supporting the investment for that area of Rio de Janeiro.
"I want the new president Jair Bolsonaro to help me pass a super license to have a casino. I received a visit from Sheldon Adelson, president of Las Vegas Sands, and he is very interested in investing US$ 10 billion and generating 50,000 jobs," said Crivella, who has left his fervent religiosity aside (he is a licensed bishop of the Universal Church of the United Kingdom of God) in the name of pragmatism favorable to gambling.
O Globo said that the release of casinos in resorts could boost the region of Porto Maravilha in Rio de Janeiro. "Legalizing is the way the state exercises control over the growing clandestine market," was the title of the article.
Source: GMB
