GMB - With the approval of PM 846 and the legalization of sports betting, what are FEBRALOT's expectations for this new modality? Does the entity intend to make participate the lottery retailers in some way in this operation?
Jodismar Amaro -Sports betting around the world represents the biggest slice of the gaming sector. So, the lottery network has to be inside all the gaming modalities in Brazil. We understand that we have to participate; or through Caixa, or through a law, or by the Ministry of Finance; we will participate with certainty.
And with this goal to participate in sports betting, how important was to have participated in recent OGS Brazil event that debated the next steps of the regulation of the modality in the country?
The event was extremely important to everyone related to gaming. We are entering the computer age, digital, where the game goes online and we are very interested in it, we are following closely. We understand that there is no gaming modaity in Brazil that can be made by a lottery that does not happen. Anything related to gaming interests us and we will act so that the network can participate.
What is the position of FEBRALOT in relation to the final result of the text of PM 846?
The redistribution was in accordance with what they proposed. We had made a different proposal for a specific game for the security area, they opted for something else, but, it does not harm us at all. The cost of Caixa was kept and therefore the network cost was maintained, and for us it is great, perfect.
What are the prospects of the lottery network and of FEBRALOT in relation to the government of the new president Jair Bolsonaro? Do you have any specific demands to work during the term?
We basically expect the lottery network to be disconnected from Caixa Bank. If you create a company, Caixa Lotteries or the name you want to give, that is unlinked from the bank side of Caixa. A sector like ours that leaves US$ 390 million a year in Caixa’s hand only with gambling can not be an appendage of the bank. The lottery network does not have a lottery vice president, lottery director, and has no board vote. Consequently, it has no power inside Caixa. As I said, it is an appendage and always relegated. If something good happens, great. If not, patience.
So we need an institution committed only with lotteries. We can not be tied to Caixa Bank. We need to create a company that has conditions to manage the lotteries without having to ask for favors to Caixa Bank.
Would untying of lotteries be FEBRALOT's main cause for 2019?
The project is always about improvements. We now have for 2019, strategically, some of what we are going to look for and the untying is one of them. It is very important for Caixa to stop managing the network through notifications. We want a law to exist, and that it be fulfilled on both sides. Today they are notifications where someone wakes up in the morning, invents a new one and harms the network. For that we will have to take a congress bill again. We’ll go after that, the creation of a specific lottery sector.
Source: Exclusive GMB
