In 2023, Senate may face debate on gambling legalization

In the Senate, although many bills on the subject are being processed, there are contrary manifestations. This is the case of senator Eduardo Girão (Podemos-CE), author of the request that led to the creation of the Parliamentary Front for a Brazil without Gambling.

Senator Angelo Coronel, from the PSD of Bahia, promised that in 2023 he will look into the legalization of gambling in Brazil. For the senator, Brazil cannot be isolated in hiding compared to the great powers that have already regulated the legislation on the activity and increased their revenues due to the taxes collected - as is the case of Italy, which, according to the senator, generates in around 1.4% of GDP, due to taxation of games.

Today games in Brazil are played freely without having to pay 1 cent of tax for the Brazilian. “Then people also say: Are you in favor of the game? I'm not in favor of gambling, I’m in favor of legalizing what already exists.”

Several propositions that deal with the operation of gambling in the national territory have already been presented in the Senate. One of them is Bill No. 2234, of 2022, which was approved last year in the Chamber of Deputies and is now awaiting analysis by the senators. According to the text, the granting of permanent or temporary licenses by the Granting Authority is permitted depending on the activity. The proposal also allows casinos to be installed in resorts or on river vessels. The bingo halls will be accredited through licenses that will last 25 years, and can be renewed for the same period. For the jogo do bicho, the text of the Chamber requires that bets be registered and accessed in real time by the Union.

The issue has not been pacified in the Federal Senate. One of those resistant to this and other similar projects is Senator Eduardo Girão, from Podemos in Ceará. Last year, Girão managed to create the “Parliamentary Front for a Brazil without Gambling”. For him, the legalization of games facilitates the practice of crimes such as money laundering, tax evasion, revenue evasion and corruption of public agents.

The objective of the Parliamentary Front is to promote debates and adopt initiatives that discourage gambling, aiming to combat its possible consequences for society.