D
eputy João Carlos Bacelar, coordinator of the Working Group in the Chamber of Deputies, told Games Magazine Brazil (GMB) that the veto is a risk in the legislative process. “The President has that power, but we can also override that veto. I sincerely hope none of this happens,” he said.
Bacelar also told the gaming press that Bolsonaro’s opinion is wrong and that his values are inverted. “The State is the one that loses the most, by keeping gambling illegal and by not collecting the billions of reais that said activity moves. The Brazilian citizen also loses, because he does not have the protection of the State,” he said.
The deputy admitted that the Government has a divided opinion on the issue of legalizing gambling, but highlighted that the head of the Civil House, Senator Ciro Nogueira, has a bill in the Senate that seeks to advance on the issue.
“We’ve conducted surveys that indicate that more than 50% of the deputies are in favor of approving the regulatory framework. We are very optimistic since it’s a good project for the country because we have an economic crisis, including the crisis in the tourism sector, which is still very recent. Then we can harness the potential of the game to generate income, employment and taxes. The moment is now”, Bacelar stated.
The opinion was shared by the federal deputy of Pernambuco, Augusto Coutinho, who said that “the President expresses the point of view of some of his followers, but we will continue with our conviction that [the approval of a regulatory gaming framework] is important for our country.” And Congressman Newton Cardoso Jr., one of the 13 legislators who are part of the Congressional Working Group, stated that he will continue to defend the measure, expressed in the amendment PL 442. “I continue to defend this part of the text, and if we need to revoke the veto, we will, because employment and taxes are fundamental for the country,” Cardoso Jr. told the Games Magazine Brazil.
“We want to legalize underground gambling, such as casinos, bingo halls, or the jogo do bicho so that the Government can collect taxes and invest in social areas. I continue to defend this position as always, especially now in the Working Group created by Arthur Lira”, deputy Herculano Passos said to Games Magazine Brazil.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international//noticias/2021/09/30/59549-congress-would-oppose-bolsonaros-eventual-veto-on-brazils-gambling-legalization
