For more than a decade, the discussion about casinos returning to Brazilian daily life has been a reality. The National Forum of Secretaries and Directors of Tourism in Brazil (FORNATUR) has repeatedly discussed, for many years, the legalization of this attraction in the country. However, we never imagined that the topic could receive special attention from decision makers in the Central Government, as seen recently.
While standing in front of the Amazonas State Tourism Board for 14 years, we participated in numerous public hearings and seminars at the Tourism Commissions of the Chamber and the Federal Senate, in Brasília, to discuss the return of casinos in Brazil.
I even sent letters to several Ministers who passed through the Ministry of Tourism, indicating that the municipalities of Manaus, Barcelos and São Gabriel da Cachoeira, should host casinos, as I understand that the most distant municipalities, as long as they offer a good infrastructure of access (port or airport), can benefit from this attraction that moves billions of dollars in the world.
The experience of casinos for Brazilian tourism will be extraordinary. Macau, Singapore, Las Vegas and other world destinations are successful experiences and make a fortune from tourists who travel to these environments in search of fun.
However, we realize that in Brazil, once again, the views of those who make decisions in the country are turned to the wealthier regions. What was Las Vegas before casinos? A desert with an extremely high climate and almost no residents. Although there were several investments for Vegas to become populated and with economic growth, it was only after the creation of the laws that decreed the installation of casinos that the city effectively began to attract investors from the segment, from large business groups of luxury resorts and extraordinary themed hotels. Hence it was a leap for Las Vegas to become different from other American cities.
In fact, the development of Vegas as a tourist destination began with the Americans themselves who started to choose the city as their priority destination, due to its innovative attractions. From then on, Las Vegas fame was created, and its destiny traced as the “City of Sin”. But that is not right! Not everything is allowed in the city of lights and fun. Some rules must be observed. Citizens can only drink alcohol if they prove that they are 21 years old. Drink while driving? No way! Anyone who thinks they are going to enjoy Las Vegas and will be able to do everything is very wrong. The city's sights are monitored by cameras and well policed. Caught smoking marijuana on the streets or in public places is a headache. Can not!
But what really matters is that, out of nowhere, a city emerged that revolutionized American tourism. Although the State of Nevada has legalized the casino throughout its territory, it was Vegas that took the lead in the business. And look, Vegas was in the middle of nowhere!
And what about Macau? The small island Macau came to be considered Las Vegas of the East, due to the strategic vision of its government, in transforming the region in the tourist destination of casinos. Macau has some architectural appearances with Brazil, since it was colonized by our Portuguese brothers, and many local citizens still speak Portuguese. However, it thought faster than us! It legalized the casinos and started to earn 6 times more than Las Vegas, although the American city continues with its fame.
What Macau generates with casinos in a week, Vegas takes a month to do it. Casinos' revenue represents 80% of Macau's economy. The city's proximity to Hong Kong allows tourists to go on the famous Day Trip, leaveing fortunes in that magical city.
What is striking is that the legalization of casinos in these cities has brought together important and large private investments, in addition to forcing governments to invest in basic and support infrastructure, thus guaranteeing the success of the destination. Governments win! Entrepreneurs win! The population wins with a range of new job opportunities.
Therefore, we reiterate that casinos must be located in regions that need development. Not in already developed regions. The North and Northeast regions should deserve a different view from the Central Government.
It is time for the economy of this tourist segment to be a reality in remote locations in Brazil. If we combine the abundant natural and cultural attractions of these two regions with the casinos, Brazil will come out of the inertia of receiving a little more than 6 million foreign tourists / year. In 2019, Macau and Vegas received 39.4 million and 42.5 million tourists, respectively. Macau has 28,600 square kilometers in geographic dimensions and just over 600,000 inhabitants.
Our Brazil is a continental country, rich in empty or sparsely populated lands, as is the case of the Amazon, which has border cities and strategic cities, far from the country's economic axes. The State of Amazonas alone holds 18% of the national territory, that is, 1 million and 571 thousand square kilometers, with a little more than 4 million inhabitants, offering special conditions for this segment to settle.
The capital Manaus is 04h50 minutes from Miami, has a climate similar to that of Vegas and is connected by air with the Americans, therefore with all the prerogatives to receive the big and important resorts, as long as they are installed outside the urban area of the city, avoiding thus the proliferation of unwanted activities and the minimum of negative impacts for the local society.
However, for this to happen in our country, it is necessary the political will of the governments to unlock the legalization of this phenomenon. The installation of casinos linked to amusement parks will be an injection into the vein of the local economy. We believe that the initiatives of federal parliamentarians, the President of the Republic himself, together with the Minister of Economy and the governors, in discussing this issue as the agenda of the day, will be a watershed for Brazilian tourism.
On the other hand, there is a huge concern that these discussions are only within the scope of governments, without the effective participation of the national tourism trade. Another concern is the possible legalization of other types of games that do not bring benefits to the country, the proliferation of prostitution and organized crime. Brazil can adopt legal mechanisms that favor what worked in these cities and avoid or minimize what may bring social ills to the country.
Oreni Braga
Ex-president of Amazonastur, specialist in Ecotourism and Ecolodges Design and master in Environmental Management and Auditing.
