Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Friday (June 21) that he will sanction the bill that legalizes casinos and gambling in Brazil. In his view, however, this is not “what will save the country” in terms of revenue and job creation.
In an interview with Rádio Meio Norte in Teresina, in the state of Piauí, the president said that if the text is approved in Congress, with an agreement among political parties, “there is no reason not to sanction it.”
The project was approved in the Senate committees and is now awaiting approval in the plenary before being submitted to presidential sanction. It has already been approved in the Chamber of Deputies.
The proposal allows for the installation of casinos in tourist centers or leisure complexes — such as high-end hotels (100+ rooms), restaurants, bars, and spaces for meetings and events.
The text also provides that a license can be issued for one casino per state, with some exceptions, such as São Paulo, which could have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas, and Pará, with up to two each, based on population or territory.
Gambling has been prohibited in Brazil since 1946. Lawmakers opposed to the project mention the increase in gambling addiction and the creation of an environment conducive to prostitution, drug use, and organized crime.
President Lula said he does not like gambling, adding, however, that he does not believe it should be treated as a crime.
“I don’t believe when they say: ‘if there are casinos, the poor will spend everything they have.’ The poor do not go to casinos; the poor work in casinos, they may even see their city develop, but they do not go because casinos are for those who have money,” he continued.
Supporters of the project point to economic gains, job creation, and tourism development in casino regions, as well as increased tax revenue for the government. Despite agreeing with these benefits, the president said that “this will not solve Brazil’s problem.”
“The easy belief that it will create two million jobs and bring development is a mistake. My bet is to make the Brazilian economy grow again; my bet is to invest heavily in vocational and technical education, in universities, and in basic education; my bet is to strengthen full-time schools throughout Brazil, create jobs, raise salaries, and distribute income. That is what makes people happy. That is the bet people have to make, and that is the bet the people will win,” he said.
Source: Agência Brasil