Chamber tries to speed up the legalization of animal gambling, and evangelical caucus resists

The Chamber is trying to speed up the vote on a bill that legalizes games of chance, such as gambling, bingo and casino, despite resistance from the opposition, which does not see the issue as urgent, and from the evangelical and Catholic benches, contrary to the proposal .

The urgent requirement is on the agenda of the Chamber. The expectation was that it would be voted on this Monday (13), but, with signs of obstruction by religious benches, it was removed from the agenda.

“There was an orientation not to register attendance [na sessão da Câmara] because of that [da votação da urgência], and I want to inform you that this article will not be on the agenda today [segunda]”, said the vice president of the Chamber, Marcelo Ramos (PL-AM).

For the urgency to be approved, at least 257 votes are needed. If this support is achieved, the project can already be appreciated by the deputies in plenary.

The original project, by Deputy Renato Vianna (MDB-SC), dates from 1991. The text authorizes, among other things, the exploration of games of chance throughout the national territory, “as an instrument of social and economic development”.

The report, which has not yet been filed, was in charge of Deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE). He used parts of the substitute approved in 2016 by the special committee that assessed the text’s merit.

The rapporteur’s intention is to regulate the operation of casino games, bingo, animal games, fixed-rate betting, turf (horse racing) and skill games.

According to him, the idea is to create a national system of gambling. “We are taking examples of safety, reliability and responsible gaming around the world to shield attempted use of gambling for money laundering and organized crime,” he said.

Carreras said a player registry will be created to help identify compulsive gamblers. No player may participate in a game or bet without registering.

“The game is happening, especially in the virtual environment. Brazil does not collect anything, it is not generating jobs and it is urgent that the Parliament and the government create tools to generate opportunities and jobs for the people”, he defended.

The market will be regulated and supervised by the Union, through a federal regulatory and supervisory body to be defined in its own law.

In addition to this entity, gambling and betting operators, tourist entities, gambling and betting agents, accounting auditing companies and gambling and betting market self-regulation entities registered with the federal regulatory and supervisory body would be part of the system.

Carreras proposes that, in addition to the taxes already in force (ISS, PIS/Pasep and Cofins, Corporate Income Tax and Social Contribution on Net Income), it is applied to Cide-Jogos, at a 25% rate for online and online games. 20% for others.

There would also be an inspection fee for issuing the license and an annual renewal fee.

Prize-winning individuals would have a 20% tax on the net income — a prize deducted from the amount paid to bet or gamble. The operator would make the withholding tax permanently.

There would be an exemption if the value of the net gain is up to the first range exempt from the Income Tax — currently at R$1,903.98.

The resources would be distributed as follows, according to the draft report: 10% for Embratur; 8%, financing of programs and actions in the area of ​​sport; another 8%, financing programs and actions of the National Policy for the Protection of Players and Bettors.

In addition, 8% would be used to finance health programs and actions related to play disease (gambling compulsion); another 8% for the National Public Security Fund; 8% to the national culture fund; and 50% for the states, divided by population criterion — in the case of on-site exploration, half will be allocated to the municipality where the operation is located.

According to the draft, a list of “crimes against gambling and betting” would be created to criminalize the conduct of those who explore any kind of game, physical or virtual, without meeting regulatory requirements.

Anyone who defrauds the result of a game or bet, allows minors under 18 to participate in games, and anyone who carries out or authorizes financial transactions through credit card, loan or other type of financing with foreign companies or websites that explore the gaming activity. There is also a punishment for those who make inspection difficult.

In general, the minutes indicate, the penalty would be imprisonment, which can reach seven years.

The urgency of the topic is disputed. President of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front of Congress, deputy Cezinha de Madureira (PSD-SP) said he is against gambling.

“I’m against it, the evangelical caucus is against it. That doesn’t stop it from going to the agenda, because we live in a democratic country. But we cannot let these projects prosper, neither in the Chamber nor in the Senate,” he stated.

For him, Brazil is not prepared for the agenda. “The game of chance does not fit in Brazil, because it encourages prostitution, it encourages the poorest, retired people, to spend their money, to become poorer,” he said. “We, evangelical caucus and Catholic caucus, are going to obstruct.”

The deputy said that the lobby of a group of businessmen who want to explore games of chance is old.

“They think it will generate jobs, they are thinking of taking a place in the Northeast and creating a resort,” he said. “And they’re right, they want to generate income, make the country grow. But today I don’t see our population with that base,” he said.

For the leader of the Opposition in the Chamber, Alessandro Molon (PSB-RJ), it makes no sense to urgently vote on a bill to legalize gambling in Brazil, “without a more careful and in-depth discussion”.

“This topic, quite controversial, should be debated in a transparent manner with society and the negative and positive points carefully evaluated, so that it can only be decided later on,” he said.

Government signals support for the release of games of chance

The government signals its support for the agenda. At the ministerial meeting on April 22, 2020, Minister Paulo Guedes (Economy) supported the release of gambling.

President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) has already talked about transforming the municipality of Angra dos Reis (RJ) into the Brazilian Cancún.

In 1941 the Criminal Misdemeanor Law was enacted, making gambling illegal. In 1946, General Eurico Gaspar Dutra, then president, closed the casinos and banned the practice or exploitation of games of chance, in which only the player’s luck competes, not his skill.