“Brazil will hardly discuss a gambling bill before the end of the year”

"I believe there is not much chance of approving a gambling law this year in Brazil," Magnho José assured Yogonet and pointed out: "I think is extremely unlikely that one of the two proposed laws will be discussed at Congress before October, since we are in the middle of the election and that hinders legislative processes"

"The moral aspect of gambling is crucial as regards its legalization in Brazil," he added, "but I believe that after the elections, there is a minimal but existent chance of discussing this issue at Congress."

When asked if the outcome of the election could favor one bill over the other, he pointed out that "regardless of the outcome, Brazil has never been as close as now to legalize gambling, because both bills being discussed at the Chamber of Deputies and at the Senate depend on the voting of the full Chambers."

"Once Congress sessions are resumed after the elections, these alternatives have chances of being discussed by the respective Chambers, since Brazil cannot remain in this shameful situation in which the government does not provide a solution for illegal gambling. Gambling cannot continue to be illegal for more than 72 years, he said"

And when asked about the two bills being discussed in Congress ( PLS 186/14 in the Senate and PL 442/9 in the Chamber of Deputies), Magnho said that "each bill has different features, but at the Legal Gambling Institute, we believe that what should be legalized in Brazil is the demand"

"Markets that had long periods of illegality, legalized the existent gambling demand and then controlled and regulated that demand. The country needs to legalize the gambling industry that already exists, including casino resorts and not look for the opposite way - as was recently attempted - to legalize only the resorts and then provide a legal framework for the rest of the bets," he concluded.