Brazil: Police shut down illegal bingo operation in historic Campinas building
The site, located in the former 7th Notary Office on Rua Barão de Jaguara, was raided on Tuesday night following an anonymous complaint.
The Military Police of São Paulo closed an illegal bingo hall operating in a historic building in downtown Campinas yesterday evening.
The operation, conducted at the former 7th Notary Office on Rua Barão de Jaguara, resulted in the seizure of gaming equipment and the release of 78 gamblers, while 16 employees face charges for operating an illegal gambling establishment.
Authorities confiscated 72 computers, 19 ticket printers and an automated gambling system during the raid. Police also recovered R$621.30 ($117) in cash, plus an additional R$150 linked to the manager.
According to the police report, the operation had been running for approximately eight months before authorities intervened following a complaint.
Employees attempted to characterize the activity as legal and charitable in nature. The manager claimed ignorance of the establishment’s ownership and described the operation as a charity event. Staff members stated that proceeds from raffle tickets would fund prizes, while the R$2 entry fee was supposedly designated for purchasing basic food baskets, as advertised on the building’s facade.
Despite the presence of computers and electronic gaming equipment, employees denied knowledge of the machines and insisted games were conducted only with traditional bingo cards. Officials presented documentation purporting to authorize the bingo operation, but police determined the authorization was issued to an NGO in São Paulo, not the Campinas establishment.
The incident adds to recent enforcement actions across Brazil, including cases of online gambling-related embezzlement and influencer-promoted illegal betting schemes.
These developments occur as policymakers debate regulatory frameworks and taxation policies for both land-based and online gambling operations, with Finance Minister Fernando Haddad advocating for an 18% tax rate on licensed operators while former House Speaker Arthur Lira emphasises the need to prioritize crackdowns on illegal operations before increasing taxes on compliant businesses.
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