The History of Brazil’s Illegal Animal Lottery Explored in a New Book
A writer in Brazil has produced a new book looking into the history of the country’s animal lottery, which is popular despite being illegal.
An animal lottery remains popular in Brazil despite being against the law. © emersonguimaraes2018, Pixabay
New Book Examines Brazil’s Popular Yet Illegal Animal Lottery
Brazil is famous for many things: its beaches and bars, its samba and soccer.
But many people are unaware that the country is also home to a highly popular animal lottery, even though the pastime has been outlawed for a long time.
The Brazilian historian and writer Luiz Antônio Simas has recently published a new book into the practice of Jogo do Bicho.
Even though it was made illegal in the 1940s, Jogo do Bicho remains popular to this day, with Paraíba being the only state where the game has been made legal.
According to the writer Simas, it is “impossible to tell the history of Rio without Jogo do Bicho”.
He said in an interview with the Guardian in the UK that:
“Rio criminalised practically all cultural and playful activities of those descended from enslaved people and from everyone else who was poor.” – Luiz Antônio Simas
The History of Jogo do Bicho
Baron João Batista Viana Drummond is often credited with coming up with Jogo do Bicho.
Back in the 1890s, he came up with the idea of increasing publicity for the Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden by producing a guessing game.
Visitors were given the chance to win a range of prizes if they were able to guess the identity of an animal that had been concealed behind a curtain.
Over the years, the gambling game evolved with different numbers assigned to 25 animals.
Bookies taking bets on Jogo do Bicho can be found all over Brazil and particularly in the popular party place Rio de Janeiro, where bookies can be found every few blocks.
But according to the historian and writer Simas, it now represents about 10% of their revenue. In the interview, he added:
“But it remains the main source of income for hundreds of precarious workers who work as bookies. Whether one likes it or not, the game is deeply embedded in the city’s history.” – Luiz Antônio Simas
What Do The Authorities Do About Jogo do Bicho?
It is an open secret in Brazil that the animal lottery is still widely played despite being illegal.
Indeed, the country’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recently said:
“This country is funny; Jogo do Bicho has been prohibited to this day, but everyone still plays it.” – Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Some experts believe that the popularity of the gambling game is on the way out, though. That is partly down to the fact that authorities are taking more of an interest in Jogo do Bicho.
Тhe investigative journalist Rafael Soares said:
“Investigations against the Jogo do Bicho are rare. But they always reveal that there are public agents working for the bicheiros, either providing them with security or receiving bribes.” – Rafael Soares
It seems safe to say that Jogo do Bicho will continue to be played in Brazil.
