“It is not a question of whether the industry will be regulated, but how it will be regulated,” commented Maia at the event. Although currently gaming is prohibited, a lot of places are operating illegally in front of the whole society. However, the bill that the government is studying has several issues listed by Maia, who believes that the Deputies Special Commission is changing some sections before sending it back to the Senate and the President for the official approval.

The most criticized points of the bill by Maia are the high taxes, “if they are too high, then operators won’t come and there won’t be any taxes to collect,” he explained. Another critical point is the lack of regulation for online games and sports betting.

“The average Brazilian sees the gambling industry as featuring money laundering, sharks, prostitution and criminals whereas we know that the opposite is true. The industry need to show what it is and what it can do for the country. This is the time for the gambling industry to come to Brazil and lobby,” Maia expressed. Besides, he assured that the media is necessary to help “alter public perception.”