According to the Bill, the places to be chosen must take into account factors such as the “lack of alternatives for their economic development” and the “existence of tourist heritage to be valued.” The project is awaiting the approval of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia, to be discussed.
The fines to be applied in the event of an infraction must be fixed between a minimum of R$ 5,000 (USD 995) and a maximum of R$ 1 million (USD 199,000). They can also be applied to individuals who are members or managers of casinos who have committed crimes.
As for tax regularization, the deputy proposes that the Federal Revenue Service be responsible for registering establishments, controlling the provision of services. If the casino is not regularized, the fine is 5%, as long as it is not less than R$ 10,000 (USD 1,995) and not more than R$ 5 million (USD 1m).
According to Neto, Amazonas, with legalization, could be a laboratory for the use of casinos for other states in the country. "Even though there was no consensus necessary for the legalization of casinos in the national territory, I believe that the State of Amazonas could be a pioneer in practice and, therefore, a true laboratory for assessing whether the country is in fact ready to receive casinos," he said in his justification.
Neto argues that the danger of dismantling the Manaus Free Trade Zone is also a factor that contributes to the legalization of gambling in the state. “With the risk that the Manaus Free Trade Zone is nearing its end, compensatory measures are needed, more than ever, necessary. If the current government decides to remodel the ZFM, we must think about compensatory measures for our state,” said Neto, who is part of the Bolsonaro government's allied base in the Chamber.
The ex-president of Amazonastur, Oreni Braga, in an article published in ATUAL, explains that, in her administration, she sent similar proposals to the Ministry of Tourism, indicating Manaus, Barcelos and São Gabriel da Cachoeira to receive casinos, “as long as they offer a good access infrastructure.” She also claims that the North and Northeast regions should be given priority in the implementation of casinos, as, according to Oreni, they are most in need of development.
Source: GMB / Amazonas Atual
