Legal gap allows bingos return to São Paulo

Just before 5 pm on August 6, a Tuesday, the 250 chairs of Espaço São Paulo, in Vila Prudente, were almost all occupied. Until 2007, the venue housed Bingo São Paulo, which closed its doors after the ban on gambling in the country. In recent years, the address has housed a buffet, but since July the numbered balls have bounced back without the scares of clandestinity. This was made possible by a temporary license under Law 13204/2015. The text allows philanthropic entities to make draws. Banners on the door warn that the bingo is promoted by the Portela Cultural Recreational Association – of the famous Rio de Janeiro samba school -, which claims to offer vocational courses for the underprivileged people in the south zone of the city. Sought for this article, the team did not want to give details about the actions taken there, the amount of money raised with the gambling and its destination.

Apart from the posters, the opulent chandelier and the dynamics of the house, everything in place goes back to the past, in this case the 1990s. Despite the crowded tables, people - mostly retirees - barely exchange words and keep their heads bowed, mindful of the dictated numbers. No talking to the serious employees, almost trotting, collecting cash on the tables - notes between 2 and 100 reais (0,50 to 25 dollars), which are exchanged for cards. It's quick game: in less than five minutes someone shouts "bingo" and takes a prize that can swing from 300 reais (US$ 300) to a car and starts another round. It is estimated that such a house moves average R$ 15,000 reais per hour (US$ 3,700). From the menu, there are options between 2 and 5 reais (0.50 to 1.25 dollar), with snacks and drinks served, and no invoice.

By law, all profits should be reverted to a socially related organization that appears as the tenant of the event space. In practice, people in this segment claim that institutions keep about 15% of their income. Most are controlled by businessmen who made their fortunes in the 1990s thanks to bingo. They stay at the same address and often keep up to the name. Each week one of these houses is reopened, and nowadays there are about forty of these models in the city (not to mention another forty that work underground).

Those who walk by Sumaré Avenue at night have certainly seen the spotlight at 581, a big house under construction where a car dealership used to be. It is the pomp to mark the return of the Emperor, one of the capital's most famous bingos. It is due to open in mid-September with a capacity of 500 players, as well as a bar and restaurant. The first to open its doors thanks to the breach of the law, in December 2017, was Espaço Real Itaim (formerly Bingo Real Itaim), on Joaquim Floriano Street, one of the few with a website and social networks. It faced some police raids, most recently in March, over an anonymous report. The license was suspended but recovered five days later. According to a press office, the establishment benefits 1,500 families from the Hope Project of São Miguel Paulista, an East Zone neighborhood located 35 kilometers away. How much is raised and what do they do with that money? Management declined to share this information.

In July, the Centro Antigo Space opened on Avenida São João, exactly where Bingo Olido used to be placed. The venue raises funds and also conducts a warm-up campaign for Instituto Cistema. "Because of past management problems, we have a debt of 60,000 reais (US$ 14,900) and we are still not sure where we will take these clothes, but it will all be forwarded, believe me," says Pedro do Carmo Alves, president of the organization. Headquartered in Ribeirão Pires, with no website or social network, the company does charitable events. “We pay a rent for the space and the rent will go to us,” he comments. But he says he is unaware of the amount invested, the expected return or the kind of game that takes place there. “It's a draw, isn't it? I was at the opening, and if there was bingo, it happened only after I left.”

In October last year, the largest place of this kind would start to operate, at the 23 de Maio Life Event Space, Rua Pedroso, Bela Vista, an investment of 6 million reais (US$ 1.5m) with 2,400 square meters and 750 seats. Already furnished, the opening was delayed for security reasons. There was a fight between the partners, and the deal was with businessman Pedro de Campos Figueiredo, son of Paulo Figueiredo Jr., owner of ViaSul Group, one of the main transport concessionaires in the Northeast. He has accumulated a debt of more than 1.2 million reais (US$ 297,000) with suppliers and intends to move the venture forward. There are interested parties, and bingo could be opened later this year.

According to a note sent by the Secretariat of Public Security, since January the Department of Judicial Police of the Capital conducts Operation Caracol, which closes irregular spaces. During this period, there were 881 lawsuits and 631 people were assessed. About this new model of draws, the police says that it investigates cases of irregularities. Bingo is the third most popular game in town, behind the ‘jogo do bicho’ and slot machines.

“It's very common in Latin America. But in the United States, there are no in casinos and only churches,” says Magno José, president of the Legal Gambling Institute, which advocates approval of the practice. “We are in a gray zone with no regulation, so money laundering may occur. We believe that during the administration of Jair Bolsonaro it will be approved in Congress,” says Magno, who claims to have more than 60% of the deputies in favor of legalization. Meanwhile, gambling entrepreneurs take advantage of the loopholes of the law. “I don't want to generalize, but until there is clearer legislation, many organizations will borrow philanthropic etiquette to legalize a prohibited practice,” said Rogério Sanches Cunha, Sao Paulo prosecutor.

Source: Ana Carolina Soares - Veja Sao Paulo