In May, the Senate Federal has submitted to Congress its legal project designed to regulate gambling on public transport systems. House President Rodrigo Pacheco of PSSD-RO sent his proposal, known as PL 2234/2022 to Comissao Constituicao e Justica (CCJ) for approval before offering it back up for consideration at Senado Federal.
The PL legalizes bingos, caca-niquelis, casinos, and horse-race betting; this legislation is derived from PL 442/91 which was passed by the House of Deputies with 246 votes for and 202 against in February 2022.
Renato Vianna (PMDB-SC), President of Camara, explained the issue as gambling such as bicho doesn’t contribute any tangible economic benefit for society but serves only to sustain itself. For legislators, bicho is seen as a means of draining society of profits while opening up different sectors to market interests with reservations.
Frente Parlamentar’s objective is to advance civil discourse among all segments of society and mitigate any negative repercussions for public policy. Gambling also facilitates criminal practices by major criminal organizations such as money laundering, fiscal fraud and tax evasion or agent-level corruption.
Activity also contributes to sexualization and reproduction. Research conducted by the Workers for Human Rights revealed a pronounced rise in sexual concentration since approval of bicho gambling in Brazil. Furthermore, activity also contributed to greater inequality, hostility, and familial violence.
Three years ago, horse betting continued to wreck lives, disrupting families and disintegrating some of the most critical institutions like polo clubs and casinos at municipal levels. Violence and inequalities had lasting repercussions not just within gambling itself but throughout all sporting markets and companies with profit motives.
Gambling gambling gambling allows a practice which is difficult to combat with only minimal regulations and government sanction. Reform of public policy and oversight of sports gambling markets are necessary in order to combat and improve family life. According to the Coalition Against Criminal Jokes (CCJ), “The Bike Joke is no ordinary marketplace – rather it acts as an influence market contributing to increasing inequality, conflict and violence”. As such it should be addressed head on. That goal was the purpose behind Group of Legislators Fighting Bicycle Gambling’s (GLJ), calling on federal authorities against this market in order to combating and better family lives.