The federal government removed the Exclusive Instant Lottery (Lotex), known as “scratch card”, from the National Privatization Program (PND).
The measure was made official through a decree published this Thursday (29).
This is not the first time that Lotex has gone through this process. During the administration of former president Jair Bolsonaro, there were two privatization attempts, both unsuccessful.
In August 2023, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree that changed Lotex regulations, allowing Caixa Econômica Federal to resume administration of this type of lottery.
Government wants to raise R$3 billion annually with Lotex
The Ministry of Finance authorized the resumption of Lotex operations by Caixa at the end of December last year, valid for 24 months.
Tickets will be available for purchase in physical or digital format.
Thus, the government set a goal of raising R$3 billion annually through the sale of scratch cards.
Therefore, according to the new rules, the proceeds obtained through scratch cards will be allocated as follows:
- 0.4% for social security;
- 0.9% for the Ministry of Sports;
- 0.9% for the National Culture Fund;
- 1.5% for sports entities that grant rights to use brands for betting;
- 13% to the National Public Security Fund;
- 18.3% for cost and maintenance expenses;
- 65% for the payment of premiums and income tax collection
This change represents an important change in the betting scenario in the country, directly impacting the management and distribution of resources collected through Lotex.
So, this issue of non-privatization has generated different opinions and can be interpreted in different ways.
Some may consider the maintenance of Lotex under state control to be positive, guaranteeing the allocation of resources raised to specific areas, such as social security, sport, culture and public safety.
On the other hand, the privatization of Lotex could bring private investment and possible innovations in the gambling sector. After all, this measure could generate more competition and options for bettors.
