Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor Marcelo Crivella (Republicans), a licensed bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, supports gambling, but only for foreigners.
Speaking to MPs last week, Bolsonaro said anything can be "talked about" as long as it goes through the sieve of evangelicals. He warned, however, that he does not agree to release slot machines because "parents" can use salary money to play. Despite being contrary to gaming, the president has already signaled that there is the possibility of letting each state decide the matter on its own.
The idea was discussed during a lunch on Wednesday between Bolsonaro, the Secretary of Government minister, Luiz Eduardo Ramos, and several deputies - on the list were, for example, DEM leader Elmar Nascimento (BA), the president of Solidariedade, Paulo Pereira da Silva (SP), and Claudio Cajado (PP-BA). Bolsonaro invited the meeting in the Planalto Palace to reconnect with the deputies, who once again complained about the late fulfillment of parliamentary amendments. But the chat went further and came to gambling.
The president of the Deputies Chamber, Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ), is in favor of legalizing casinos but restricted to resorts. A bill with a report presented in 2016 authorizing the exploitation of gambling across the country is ready for vote in plenary. Two proposals with content defended by Maia were attached to the same text and he is in position to guide the measure.
Silas Câmara (Republican-AM) coordinator of the Parliamentary Parliamentary Front in the House, said that the group - made up of 195 of the 513 deputies - is mostly against the idea, but has not ruled out the options debate. “The bench would listen, depending on who came up with the explanation,” said Câmara, citing the example of the mayor of Rio. “Since he (Crivella) is an evangelical, it would not be difficult to hear him. We talk. Now, talking and bringing a proposal that is not correct is complicated,” he added.
The deputy cited the possibility of vice, prostitution and corruption as justifications for the veto, but the state has found that the tendency of Republicans is to release the bench, if this issue is voted.
Crivella favors the release of foreign-only casinos and is trying to attract a venture to the state capital. Rio's Municipal Urban Planning Office has prepared an opinion, to which the State has had access, in favor of releasing the installation of a casino in Porto Maravilha - revitalized port area in the city - if Congress allows gambling by law.
The intention is to authorize the construction of a casino associated with an integrated resort, which, in addition to hotels, would house a convention center, shopping malls, cinema and theater. “I am in favor of doing this. At first, only for foreigners, until Brazil is assured of controls and rules so that there is no possibility of money laundering from crime or corruption,” said Crivella.
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Last year, before the runoff election, then-candidate Bolsonaro denied he was in favor of releasing the casino opening. “Will I legalize casinos in Brazil? Can you believe such a lie?” Bolsonaro said in a video posted on social networks. “We know that the casino here in Brazil, if it had, would be a big laundromat, would be used to launder money. And also, to destroy families. A lot of people would indulge in gaming.”
The subject, which arouses controversy, was the subject of comings and goings in the Chamber. In 2015, the House installed a special commission to evaluate proposals for legalization of casinos, bingo and gambling, among other modalities.
Investors from multinationals and lobbyists took action at the time in an attempt to unlock the discussions, but nothing went forward. The Brazilian Association of Bingos, Casinos and Similars estimates that the industry - alongside lotteries and all betting activities - can increase revenue by R$ 30 billion (US$ 7bn) a year.
Source: Renato Onofre e Daniel Weterman - O Estado de S.Paulo
