The Hotellier News article is entitled “Bolsonaro family puts casinos on the agenda” and discusses the recent impulse that the sons of the President of Brazil have given to the topic of the legalization of casinos in resorts for the good of the country.
In tourism, the interest is evident. Now, with the apparent endorsement of the President’s family to the cause, gaming takes on a new face. What is certain is that the issue still faces great resistance in Brasília, especially among conservative parliamentarians.
"And this translates into an effort by the government base to vote on it with chances of approval,” highlights Alexandre Sampaio, president of FBHA (Brazilian Federation of Accommodation and Food). “Today, there is no climate to put on the voting agenda, especially in an environment of Tax Reform. Already closer to the presidential elections...," adds Sampaio.
Casinos and the next steps
Executive President of Resorts Brasil, Ana Biselli Aidar agrees with Sampaio's analysis about the resistance. Still, she sees a political environment to vote on the issue, perhaps next year. “With the recent movement of Senator Irajá, we are going deeper into the agenda again. Our efforts are still entirely focused on the pandemic, but we must meet with him soon. We also want to share this with the other G8 entities,” she reveals.
According to Biselli Aidar, there are diffuse views among members regarding the agenda. “We realized that not everyone is interested. At the same time, nobody wants the law to restrict the possibility for them to participate,” she explains. "The biggest concern is that an activity like this is delivered to foreign investors on a platter," she adds.
The fact is that, apart from the necessary political articulations, foreign participation is vital for the success of the projects. After all, the Brazilian business community has little (if any) expertise in the operation of casinos. “In the short term, and in principle, the interest is to manage the resorts where this gaming equipment would be installed. It is what our associates do best,” says the leader of Resorts Brasil.
On the subject, the author of the article, Vinicius Medeiros, explains that “now, with the apparent endorsement of the president's family, the letters are literally on the table. With the increased popularity, will Bolsonaro definitively take over the project? Will he use his political capital to approve it even in the face of resistance from the (partner) evangelical base?”
“Well, the strategy of putting his sons on the front lines seems right. Through it, he can measure the size of resistance related to the issue in Congress, all without risking his political capital. We will be attentive to see the scenes of the next chapters, but everything will go through his (until the good moment) relationship with the Centrão political sector,” concludes the journalist.
Source: GMB / Hotellier News
