Goiânia City Hall is moving forward with the idea of a municipal lottery, aiming to raise funds for critical areas such as public transport and pensions.
A working group, including representatives from the Municipal Attorney General’s Office (PGM) and the Finance (Sefin) and Government (Segov) secretariats, was established to determine the most appropriate model for the capital.
Municipal lottery planning and implementation
Vinícius Alves, head of Sefin, expressed that, although there is no set date for the beginning of lottery operations, the expectation is that it will begin during the term of Mayor Rogério Cruz (Republicans).
“There is no specific date for the lottery to start operating, but the expectation is that this will happen during Mayor Rogério Cruz’s term,” said Alves in an interview with the website O Popular.
The bill that enabled the creation of the Goianiense lottery was approved by the Chamber on September 14th. The initiative came from councilor Léo José (no party).
The legislation specifies that the resources can be allocated to “social areas, such as: social security, health, education, sport, tourism, public transport and public security”.
Focus on municipal needs
Alves emphasized the importance of directing lottery resources to City Hall’s main challenges. He highlighted the need to maintain public transport fares, mentioning the significant monthly contribution from the City Hall.
“To maintain the public transport fare at R$4.30, the City Hall contributes around R$12 million every month”, explained Alves.
The working group, led by Alves, initially focused on researching lotteries in other capitals and large cities.
Currently, the group is drafting the decree that will regulate the lottery in Goiânia, considering models of direct exploitation by the public administration or concession to the private sector.
Legal aspects and STF decisions
The legality of municipal lotteries, following the STF decision in 2020, paved the way for states and municipalities to explore this area.
Anna Florença Anastasia, a lawyer specializing in Administrative Law, pointed out legal uncertainties for city halls, although the STF has validated legality for the states.
“There is no legal security for city halls,” said Anastasia. However, Alves reaffirmed his confidence in the legality of the City Hall’s initiative.
