Zona de Azar Brazil – Brazil: Senator Declares Opposition to Gambling Legalization
Brazil, December 5, 2024. www.zonadeazar.com Senator Jaime Bagattoli (PL-RO) criticized, in a speech this Wednesday (4), the bill authorizing the operation of casinos and bingo halls in Brazil, legalizing the “jogo do bicho” lottery, and allowing horse race betting (PL 2.234/2022).
According to the senator, the proposal brings negative effects that outweigh any economic benefits the country might gain. The senator requested that the bill, scheduled for debate in the Plenary this Wednesday, be removed from the agenda or rejected.
— Since the regulation of [online] betting in Brazil, we’ve been living in a real laboratory where people end up becoming addicted to gambling. These individuals go so far as to incur debts and deprive their own children of food due to the false hope of easy wealth. That illusion simply doesn’t exist. Bets, casinos, and bingos are not philanthropic entities. On the contrary, they aim to generate billion-dollar profits at the expense of people’s debts.
Bagattoli cited a study released by Banco Itaú estimating that Brazilians paid R$24.1 billion in fees to online betting platforms in the 12 months ending in June this year. According to the research, bettors received a total payout of only R$200 million during this period.
The senator stated that gambling has historically been associated with crime in Brazil and abroad. According to Bagattoli, the difficulty in tracking money flowing through betting establishments makes them prime targets for money laundering by organized crime. He also claimed that gaming establishments are linked to increased prostitution and violence in their surroundings.
— In a country that strives to end child prostitution, allowing the operation of gaming establishments will only add another incentive to this and other criminal practices. It is inconceivable that any economic benefit or revenue increase could outweigh the harm caused by legalizing betting houses.
Source: Senate Agency (Reproduction authorized with citation of the Senate Agency).
Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com
