“Lula da Silva positioned himself in favor of the regulation of bingo halls”

Peredne informed that the regulated activity could generate annual tax resources of us$ 4,800 million, and initial investments are estimated in us$ 1,7 billion just for the opening of 1,500 potential bingo halls in the whole country.

Which is your opinion on the bill that looks to regulate bingos in Brazil?
The bill (PL) Nº 1986/03 (previous 207/03) has been expected by a great part of the society that has already expressed in favor of the bingo opening in the coutry, through a myriad of investigations and surveys.

This PL is based in different legislations from countries that achieved to regulate and control this activity successfully. On top of regulating the activity itself, this PL criminalizes all those that operate it illegally, which will discourage people with bad intentions to take advantage of this activity for criminal purposes. One of the advantages of this project is that bingo halls will be connected online with the Federal Treasury, which
means transparency and absolute control of the operations. It also has the forecast to create a National Record of Gambling Addicts, which will prevent people with gambling problems to assist to bingo halls. In order to protect the rights of visitors to bingo halls, this PL imposes limits for the retention of both machines and traditional bingo (cardboards), and also limits the number of venues that may be opened in a region, based in a proportion according to the number of inhabitants.

Did any official authority or legislator consulted Abrabin to ask for counselling and know your position?
On the contrary. This PL just succeeded in passing the National Congreso when Abrabin decided to clear the Federal Government the myriad of advantages that this activity brings for the economy and society in general. This project was presented and discussed in the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Employment, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Planning, on top of different departments belonging to those ministeries, including Caixa Económica Federal, the national bank in charge of administrating the monopoly of the National Lottery. Just after those entities were convinced that this activity might be healthy for society, if properly controlled, is that we could present it in the political area of the government, which understood that this activity might be very productive in the national economic context. Just after all this “marathon” it was possible to obtain the discrete support of the government for PL to reach the National Congress, entering in the Chamber of Representatives.

After the opinions against bingo legalization that were presented in the commission, Which are the probabilities that the vote is in favor of the bingo regulation?
This issue was already discussed in detail in the Chamber of Representatives, even in a Special Commission, to treat this issue specifically, when it was possible to present all the aspects of this subject. We are confident that this issue and the congressment have already matured and are aware of the circumstances for this PL to be put to vote. There is an expectation, which is not a prevision, that this PL will be put to vote in the Plenary of the Chamber of Representatives in the following weeks.

Which are the following steps that the project should follow in the Chamber of Representatives?
In case this PL is approved by the Chamber of Representatives, and we are confident that it will happen, it will be sent to the Federal Senate, where it will be analyzed and voted in three commissions, and, if approved, it will be put to vote in the Plenary of the Federal Senate. In case it is approved again, it will be sent to the Presidency of the Republic, who could veto it, veto partially or sanction it. In a recent interview granted to a newspaper in San Pablo, president Lula da Silva positioned himself in favor of the bingo regulation, as long as they are properly controlled. So there is much confidence that, in case this PL reaches the president, he will be able to sanction it. After all this process, it is still necessary that this PL, that will have been turned into law, is regulated by the different organs and ministeries of the government. Just after all this process bingo halls will be allowed to open, or in a few cases, reopen their doors.

Which would be the statements in favor of the economy of the country, In case the project is approved?
This activity will be able to generate annual tax resources of us$ 4,8 billion, approximately 250,000 direct and indirect employments, on top of mobilize the whole economy around as maintenance and cleaning services, security, mobile, information systems, food, transport, tourism, civil construction, art and culture. Initial investments are estimated in around us$ 1,7 billion just for the opening of potential 1,500 bingo halls in the whole country. In this PL they allocate collection percentages in royalties for Health, Public Security, Sports and Culture. Hence, the whole society wins and only crime loses.