Is Brazil ready? As a prelude to our report by GBGC, Andrew Behan comments on the situation in Brazil


due to corruption. The government was split deciding between full legalization of casinos and the ban. In the end, the executive decided to leave the legalization to congress.


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At Present the legislation is under discussion at the Congress – Chamber of Legislators – and has already passed through all the necessary commissions, therefore it is now ready for voting and whilst there is some opposition, the overall feeling is that bingo will be legal again. (Eduardo when?) There have been many Representatives supporting the bill and it stands a good chance to be passed into law. The main argument on the legalization front is that when gaming is regulated, the whole of the society benefits from it. It generates job positions, stimulates the economy and the collection of taxes. The legislation under vote makes provision for protecting minors from gambling and proposes a betting tax, which will be collected on benefit of the public health system. This provides free health care for the poor. Money laundering and other illegal activities that avoided when legalizing bingos have been discussed thoroughly.


The actual model of bingo gaming has yet to be defined by the legislation. We are completely sure that there will be live bingo. Spanish style games with 15 number cards and 90 balls with live draws. The two main proposals are: License per machine like the Colombian model or online real time class 2 type gaming. The majority of the people with whom we have had discussions with, prefer the 2nd choice of the online model. Online brings more transparency to the market, guarantees the collection of taxes, the payment of the prizes and the overall safety of the public by allowing the public to learn how much gaming is taking place.


The Brazilian gaming industry has a long story that goes back to the XIX century. Since the arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Rio de Janeiro, then there were clandestine casinos. The first documented lottery was introduced by a private Zoo, this lottery was used to increase the


razil has been discussing the legalization of bingo games for over four years now. This was a strategic decision taken by local gaming entrepreneurs when the government made Bingo illegal,


attendance to the zoo and a monetary prize was paid to the winners. Casino gambling was legalized between 1934 until 1946. During this period, Brazil casinos flourished, hosting many important international artists. After 1946, gambling would be illegal until 1970, when the sports lottery was introduced by Caixa Federal, the executive financial arm of federal government.In 1993, the Zico law – named after the famous football player – was introduced, legalizing bingos, which would partner with sports clubs and pay licenses fees and taxes. The major international gaming suppliers had operations in Brazil and bingo halls became widespread. The bingo’s not only offered betting activities but the bingo hall became a social venue where people from all over the city would assemble to play, chat and socialize. The local culture of having the hostesses offering a warm welcome to the patrons, made the bingo parlours a favourite amongst the independent elderly, who would gather at the bingo hall, have their favourite table reserved and chat and play the night away.


During this period, several state lotteries have blossomed. Some had Video Lottery Terminals with on line real time control system that allowed the tracking of gaming at the bingo venues. This was an important technological breakthrough.


Incidentally Gaming is favoured by most of the population but of course they oppose all forms of illegal gambling, due to the violence and vice it can be associated with, but Brazil already has some types of gaming models, for example the Caixa Federal Lottery. The federal government sells lottery tickets and most of its proceeds go to fund the pension scheme, education and the penitentiary fund, together with the finance of the Brazil Olympic and Paralympic teams. This have amounted for 2 Billion reais for 2008, last published number (1.1 Billion US$).


Gaming is legal in most of the neighbouring countries. It is expected that the legalization of bingos will double the amount of money collected to good causes.


bingo life magazine 11


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