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DataSenado Research Shows That 60% of Brazilians Support the Legalization of Games, Provided There Is Control Against Crimes and Player Protection.
A new national survey conducted by DataSenado revealed that the majority of Brazilians are in favor of legalizing gambling in the country. However, the approval comes with a strong demand for rules and control mechanisms to curb crime and protect players from addiction and indebtedness.
The survey, released earlier this week, was commissioned to support the analysis of PL 2.234/2022. The bill, currently being debated in the Senate, authorizes the operation of casinos, bingos, and legalizes modalities such as the controversial animal lottery.
What The Numbers Say: Public Support for the Legalization of Games
After learning about the main points of the bill, 60% of respondents expressed support for its approval. Those opposed to legalization account for 34% of the population, while 6% did not know or did not want to respond.
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Despite the majority support for regulation, interest in participating in games is lower. Only 26% of Brazilians expressed a desire to frequent or participate in such games, if they were authorized. The survey also showed that 50% of respondents believe that the current prohibition has little to no effectiveness in reducing the supply of illegal games.
The Economic View of Brazilians: More Revenue and Jobs
The perception of the economic impacts of legalization is predominantly positive. The majority of respondents (58%) stated that the legalization of games and casinos would help increase tax revenue for the government.
Regarding job creation, 44% of Brazilians opined that there would be an increase in the number of jobs with the regulation of the activity. On the other hand, 36% believe there would be no difference in this regard.
The Conditions for “Yes”: Control Is The Main Concern for Brazilians
The population’s support for legalization is conditional. The research made it clear that Brazilians are greatly concerned about the commission of crimes and the social risks associated with gambling.
A significant majority (82%) considers it very important (65%) or important (17%) that there are rules to prevent gambling companies from being used for money laundering and financing organized crime. The oversight of games and machines, such as slot machines, was also viewed positively by 62% of respondents.
Player protection is also a priority. The establishment of a confidential national registry of individuals with gambling addiction, to prevent them from betting, was supported by 54% of respondents. Additionally, 77% support the adoption of rules to prevent people from falling into debt due to gambling.
The Debate on Regulation in the Federal Senate
The DataSenado survey was requested by Senator Irajá (PSD-TO), rapporteur of PL 2.234/2022. The bill, authored by former Deputy Renato Vianna (MDB-SC), is the basis of the current debate on the topic in Congress.
According to experts like Senator Irajá, Brazil faces a dilemma. He argues that some of these games are already functioning in the country, but in the underground and controlled by organized crime. For the senator, the choice is between maintaining this situation or having responsible, controlled, and overseen games by the government that can generate tax revenue and punish crimes. On the other hand, senators like Flávio Arns (PSB-PR) express concern about the effects of the proposal on public health services, requesting data on the impact on the treatment of gambling addiction issues.
The Future of The Bill and Next Steps in Congress
PL 2.234/2022 was slated for voting in the Senate Plenary in December 2024, but was withdrawn by the rapporteur to seek an agreement. The text has a request for urgency for voting that has not yet been analyzed by the senators.
The national survey, conducted between February 21 and March 1 of this year, interviewed 5,039 people by phone and has a margin of error of 1.72 percentage points. Its results indicate a path for lawmakers: popular support for legalization exists, but it is directly tied to the creation of a safe, controlled, and overseen gaming environment, where Brazilians can know, for example, what happened in the animal lottery in a legal and transparent manner, without the risks associated with illegality.
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