The municipality of Canoas, in Rio Grande do Sul, approved Bill No. 12/2025, which establishes a municipal public lottery service. Named Canoas Loto, the approval by the City Council this week was given by a majority. The proposal received 16 votes in favor and 5 against, guaranteeing a majority.
The text provides for the creation of a municipal lottery with revenue destined exclusively to financing Public Health Actions and Services (ASPS).
According to the project, the measure is an alternative to the drop in state and federal transfers to the area. In addition, it is an alternative to the increase in municipal taxes.
Public-private partnership is one of the exploration formats of Canoas Loto
Therefore, the municipality may directly operate the service, or grant it to third parties, through a public-private partnership (PPP). This PPP operates in the format of a concession or permission.
Also, a warning is in order: these lottery modalities are authorized by federal legislation. These modalities include passive lottery, numerical and sports forecasts, instant and fixed-odds bets.
The proposal also establishes that the control and supervision of the service is the responsibility of internal and external bodies of the public administration. In this case, companies authorized to operate the lottery will have to assume a series of responsibilities, such as paying prizes, providing accounts and collecting taxes.
Raffle winners will have up to 90 days to claim their prizes. After this period, any unclaimed amounts will automatically be returned to the health fund.
The complete regulation of the service will be the responsibility of the Executive Branch, which must issue complementary rules on operation, accreditation of operators and management of collections.
With the approval, Canoas joins a growing number of Brazilian municipalities that, supported by a decision of the Supreme Federal Court, have started to establish their own lotteries. The municipal government expects to start operations this year.
