The legalization of casinos, bingos and Jogo do Bicho in Brazil has once again been widely debated. The Senate will discuss Bill 2,234/22 next Wednesday (04). So, one can expect strong reactions, positive and negative, from parliamentarians, religious leaders and public figures.
Senator Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG), president of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, declared that he intends to use regimental strategies to postpone the vote.
“We will position ourselves against it, through the Evangelical Parliamentary Front. Therefore, we are going to use everything possible in the rules to delay this vote and draw the population’s attention to the disaster that the approval of the game in our country will be”, said Viana to the newspaper O Fator.
Movement against the legalization of casinos
In addition to Viana, other conservative public figures also expressed opposition to the project. Senator Eduardo Girão (NOVO-CE), known for his critical stance on gambling, used social media to call for popular mobilization against the project.
“We need the mobilization of our good citizens, demanding senators to reverse this. Regarding bookmakers, I voted against last year and publicly warned about what would happen”, declared Girão.
Former federal deputy Deltan Dallagnol (NOVO), even without a mandate since 2023, spoke out forcefully on social media. Then, he warned of the social risks of the measure.
“The Senate is about to legalize land-based casinos, bingos and even Jogo do Bicho in Brazil. This isn’t just a risk to the country — it’s a direct attack on your family. Don’t let gaming addiction destroy Brazilian homes!”, he wrote on his Instagram.
Pastor Silas Malafaia also joined the discussion and published a video criticizing the project. In this way, he highlighted the possible economic and social losses of legalization.
“In gambling, the bank wins. Nobody wins anything. This is an affront. And another, the Lula government, eager to raise money, is supporting this rubbish. In other words, the revenue falls short of the economic and social damage that gambling produces”, he stated.
Therefore, the Evangelical Parliamentary Front has acted as one of the main barriers to the approval of the project, reflecting the resistance of religious and conservative sectors to any flexibility in gambling legislation.
However, the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, has already stated that the casino project will be put to a vote this Wednesday (4). If it is not appreciated, the PL should return to the agenda next week.
