Brazil Without Casinos
Autor: Stanley Martins Frasão | Publicado: 2013-05-02T11:56:00-07:00

Brazil Without Casinos


Stanley Martins Frasão

Partner at Homero Costa Advogados, MA in Commercial Law, President of the Commition of Lawyer Societies of OAB/MG.

Macau is the only region in China that authorizes the working of Casinos, registering a US$23.5 Billion profit in 2010, four times that of Las Vegas, USA.

Of the 108 countries that make up the World Tourism Organization, only two ban gambling: Cuba and Brazil.

But Brazil has authorized lotteries such as Mega-Sena, Quina, Lotofácil, Lotomania, Dupla-Sena, Loteria Federal, Loteca, Lotogol, Instantânia e Timemania, all of which are under the command of the Federal Government, and also several types of lottery controlled by the states. There is also the unauthorized lottery named Jogo do Bicho (Animal Game). 

On April 30, 2013, the decree 9.215/1946 will be 67 years-old. The decree was responsible for the banning of gambling in all of the Brazilian territory.

Legend has it that dona Santinha, D. Carmela, wife of president Dutra, devoutly religious and opposed to casinos, and the then Minister of Justice, Carlos Luz, under the aegis and in defense of the Traditional Family of Minas Gerais (TFM), were the two people who influenced the president. The casinos were closed, thousands of people lost their jobs, directly and indirectly, investors were jilted, and many cities with casinos fell in decline and are still recovering. 

Brazil without casinos loses out. Loses out on revenue, does not create more jobs, reduces tourism and gives incentive to Brazilian tourists to go gambling in Argentina, Paraguay, Europe, Macau, and even in ships that cross international waters and transport Brazilians who embark in our ports. 

Considering that tourism is of great importance to the world’s economy, some hope for a revoking of the decree because of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Some flexibility was allowed legislators because of the World Cup and Confederations Cup: the permission to sell alcoholic beverages in stadia, federal tax exemption for FIFA and its branches in Brazil, the lowering of a few taxes: importation taxes (PIS/Pasep Importação), Social Security Financing taxes of imported goods and services (Cofins-Importação), the CIDE Taxes (Contribuição de Intervenção de Domínio Econômico), among others (Decree 7.578, 11/10/2011). This shows that nothing is unchangeable. 

Another example is of the hotels sector, which is concerned with the lack of skilled work and is negotiating with the Federal Government a permission to hire temporary foreign work. 

Millions of tourists all over the world will visit us. The mayors, congressional representatives, and senators of the cities that will host World Cup matches will be able to move National Congress to allow casinos in Brazil again. 

It should be noted that in 2016 we will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will bring a large number of tourists. 

As an example of what happened in Macau, the Human Development Index (HDI) of many Brazilian cities and states, which show considerable social and economic disparities, could be positively impacted if casinos are allowed to work again. 

Place your bets, then, but outside Brazil for now!



Translator: Pedro Malard Monteiro