The federal government is trying to figure out where to get money to finance social programs, especially the previously announced Renda Cidadã (Citizen Income), the new name of Bolsa Família. As the situation of public accounts goes, even more so with the pandemic, there is no way to work miracles. If the government wants money, it needs to find an alternative source of funds, because new expenditure without revenue is impossible.
This source already exists, does not even need to be invented, and can generate billions in revenue and put an end to the government's concerns to alleviate the misery and destitution of millions of Brazilians, which, unfortunately, will worsen when the COVID ends and we have to recover our economy.
I am talking about the legalization of gambling, a real sea of money that can leverage social programs without risking an expenditure ceiling and using the famous short blanket, that is, taking money from areas such as health and education.
I am the rapporteur of a Bill (2648/2019), by Senator Roberto Rocha (PSDB-MA), which proposes the exploitation of casinos in resorts. I intend to present my report in November, including precisely this link between the collection of gambling, after legalization, and the use of this revenue exclusively in social programs. This is something new that does not appear in this Bill and in any other project in the National Congress that proposes legalization.
In Italy, where gambling is legal (as in practically all countries, including in Mercosur, where gambling is only prohibited in Brazil), the collection with this activity reaches 1.6% of the Gross Domestic Product.
In Brazil, it would be possible to raise R$ 50 billion (US$8.9b) a year with the legalization of the jogo do bicho, slot machines, bingos and the return of the casinos (it is good to remember that the latter, due to their more complex operation, will take a while to come into operation).
Now, the government currently has a budget of R$33.5 million (US$5.6m) to support the ‘Bolsa Família’ aid program, serving 14.5 million people. With a collection earmarked for social programs exceeding R$83 billion (US$14.75b), it would be possible to increase the number of beneficiaries, reaching 22.5 million Brazilians, and pay a benefit of R$300 (US$54).
Economy Minister Paulo Guedes welcomes our proposal, which he considered bold. We hope that the government will bet on the boldness and support our report, getting rid of the risk of leaving millions of families in the country in complete misery, in addition to generating about 1.3 million direct and indirect jobs.
Angelo Coronel
Senator of the Republic by PSD party of Bahia state
