In the high-stakes world of Brazilian politics, few issues spark as much controversy and moral ...

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The Casino Gamble: Taxes, Populism, and the Sin Tax Debate in Brazil

In the high-stakes world of Brazilian politics, few issues spark as much controversy and moral posturing as the debate over online casinos. Historically outlawed in Brazil, the industry has long operated in the shadows, thriving in offshore havens and unofficial gaming dens. But in recent years, a seismic shift in public and political discourse has brought the idea of legalizing online casinos—and taxing them—into the spotlight. Large casinos, such as Bet365, Parimatch, Betsson, and Betano, have already submitted applications for licensing. As Brazil grapples with economic uncertainty, populist parties are eyeing a potential jackpot: the so-called “sin tax” on gambling. But is there really any benefit to be gained? Or is this just another populist ploy to fatten the state’s coffers while exploiting vulnerable citizens?

LABOR POPULISM FOR THE FUTURE

Who we are

Ours is an unsettled moment in history. The political ground is shifting beneath our feet, with alliances and coalitions falling apart and coming together in new and interesting ways, minute by minute. But at the very same moment that this window of political possibility has opened just a crack, the discourse on the left has dispiritingly doubled-down—recommitting itself to policing the borders of what is acceptable to think and write about. Tragically, those authors who do not fit squarely into the left-liberal media landscape are feeling the squeeze, with fewer and fewer outlets willing to take the reputational risk of publishing their work. It is this magazine’s intention to recognize this state of flux and navigate it authentically and with intellectual integrity—beyond and above the tiny sliver of space currently occupied by popular leftist publications and/or the Democratic Party patronage network. Maintaining that editorial and political independence is crucial to our mission. The Bellows is run by Edwin Aponte, a writer and journalist living in New York.