Flamengo soccer player Gabriel Barbosa “Gabigol” was spotted in a casino early in the morning from Saturday to Sunday, 14, in the South Zone of São Paulo. The place had more than 200 people and was closed by the Civil Police. The athlete had to leave the place in a vehicle and, according to police reports, the athlete was found under a table.
Eduardo Brotero, police chief of the Armed Group for the Suppression of Burglary and Burglary (GARRA) / DEIC, detailed the action: “When we arrived at the place, to our surprise, it was not a clandestine party, but a clandestine casino . In fact quite large. With several people in crowds, exposing themselves to contagion again, ”he said in an interview with the G1 portal.
He added: “They were conducted, in fact qualified, due to the pandemic already to provide clarification at the police station, and the employees and the person in charge of the place must also answer for crime against public health, gambling and misdemeanor”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHh9LRX6Zi8MC Gui was also found in the police operation
In addition to the football player, singer MC Gui was also spotted by police at the scene. All those involved were taken to the Police Station for Crime Against Public Health, in the Center of SP. People signed a detailed term with a commitment to report to the authorities for clarification and were released.
Even with the blatant celebrities, such as MC Gui and Gabigol, Brotero did not make an individual assessment and stressed that he did not make any arrests during the operation.
“For me, everyone is the same there and they should be held accountable as far as their conduct is concerned, as far as what they did. In fact, what is astonishing is that, again in the midst of a situation of humanity, this pandemic, with people dying, lack of beds in the hospital, some enjoy life as if nothing had happened ”, he said.
The delegate further explained that “both the misdemeanor of gambling and Article 268 of public health combined are crimes of less offensive potential. People are not caught in the act. They, in agreeing to participate in all the judicial acts requested, there is a substitution of the arrest in flagrante delicto by the circumstantial term ”.
In an interview with Fantástico, Gabigol tries to defend himself
Shortly after his arrest at the casino, Gabigol agreed to give his version of what happened in an interview with TV Globo’s Fantástico. The striker said he was having dinner with friends on his last day of vacation and did not suspect that the place would be so full.
The Civil Police closed the establishment and led Gabigol and the others present to the police station. He signed a detailed statement, pledged to be present when called and not to promote further agglomerations. Still according to the authorities, he was caught under a table. In the interview, the player reported that this was the order of the police.
However, he will not be indicted, except that the case goes to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will assess whether or not to start a lawsuit. Article 268 of the Penal Code, which cites disrespecting the determination of public authority, aimed at preventing the introduction or spread of contagious disease, provides for detention from 30 to 365 days, in addition to the imposition of a fine.
“I was invited by friends, I really didn’t know where I was going. When I arrived at the place, we wanted to have dinner, I live in Santos and I live in Rio. So, when I got there, I ate with friends and when I was leaving, (the police) arrived ”, said Gabigol to Fantastic.
When asked if he has a habit of going to casinos, Gabigol denied: “No, no, I don’t have that habit of gambling. The only thing I play is video games. I was with my friends, we went to eat, we ended up eating and when we were leaving, the police arrived and told everyone to go to the ground ”.
Gabigol apologizes to Flamengo fans
With re-presentation scheduled for this Monday at Flamengo, 15, the player acknowledged the mistake and publicly apologized to the fans of the club. “So I apologize to Flamengo fans, to the people who like me. I believe that I am not a guy to appear in stories like that, nor have I ever been a guy to ignore the pandemic ”.
And he added: “So I apologize to all of them and as I said, there is learning. I’m very young, I know I’m going to make mistakes and I’m going to get it right, but as I told you, in the pandemic I didn’t break any rules, I always respected and I didn’t have to do it different yesterday. They asked me to leave, to accompany them and, with my head held high, I did it ”.
Lack of regulation in Brazil results in actions of this type
The prohibition on the operation of physical casinos in Brazil happened in April 1946, in a decree law 9.215, signed by the then president Eurico Gaspar Dutra. However, the return of casinos and other types of gambling has been debated across the country in recent years, especially in the National Congress.
Currently, the creation of job vacancies and the payment of taxes by gaming establishments are some of the factors pointed out by the defenders of the legalization of this agenda. In addition, the return of casinos would help boost tourism in the country, one of the segments most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
And actions of this type will still take place as long as Brazil does not have an appropriate regulation that is in line with today for the gambling and betting market.
