GMB - What is your BgC assessment?
Gilson Braga - I consider it a very good event, even more here in Brazil where we have few issues regulated in the market of lotteries. I think that every event that gathers qualified people that can explain how other markets work, how is regulation in other countries that can help to set up ours, is very important. You can exchange this kind of information, and it is very beneficial for the country. I find it very helpful, specially now that we are discussing the regulation of the activity in the country.
Talking about LOTEX, is Caixa really out of the process to become one of the operators? Will the bank deal with the new product in some way?
The issue is in the edict, this new version that came out excluding the participation of Caixa. It is an issue that is not at the mid-level, it is a decision of the presidency. We are a government agency and we follow the regulator's decision. What Caixa is trying to do is check if there is a possibility of reversion so that we can actually participate. It is an important market and product that we consider within the portfolio of lotteries of Caixa itself that is not an exclusivity, but that we can participate in the commercialization or even with a company or consortium that can be formed in the process. We understand that this is an important product within the portfolio of lottery units and especially of the lotteries of Caixa.
So, even if it can´t be an operator, is Caixa willing to partner with other company to market the LOTEX product within the lottery network?
These are things that will be decided throughout the process. Caixa's first main intention was to be able to form a consortium with some operators, since we do not have the qualification to compete alone, and to be able to participate in the auction process. Then, yes, being the winner, the lottery network can sell the product together with the other points that the lottery and the process will demand. If this is not happening, we’ll have to study how to participate on an eventual cooperation. But it is something that should be discussed later.
The Ministry of Finance, through SEFEL, has stated that the bidding of LOTEX will help in the modernization of the lottery market and even help Caixa's lotteries to develop and achieve better results. Do you believe that too?
I like the instant lottery very much. Including, kept in due proportions, I think it was born from the deputies themselves when they were creating options to finance the Pró-Fut, conversations with Caixa. We advocated a product with a payout such as this because we know that payout equal to what happens in the rest of the world is what really makes a lottery grow. I understand that modernization and openness is always beneficial. We, at Caixa, do not even go against the competition. Now, we would like to have, in the other products, the same conditions that are being given now because that would make it possible for us to actually compete with the lottery to be created. The payouts of our lotteries today are very low and in that conditions we can not compete with LOTEX. I think this is important, you open the market, but, you have to give conditions so that federai products can compete on equal terms.
Caixa is launching a new lottery product that is Dia de Sorte. What can you tell about it? Is it ready to be released?
Yes, Dia de Sorte is ready in the part of our system, we already finished all homologation part and are already downloading the new versions in our systems so that it can be launched in May. We do not have a precise date, we are still finisihng marketing issues, but surely in May we should be launching this new product.
And what is the expected return for this new product?
Our expectation is good. We understand that it is a product that will position itself very close to Quina, of Lotofácil. It is a product with many prizes that becomes attractive for the bettors. We would like to be operating other lotteries, but as long as we do not havea new legislation, we try to make the new products we can with the legislation we have.
How should this legislation be?
A new legislation. I think the issue of sports bettings is important. In fact, if we could operate it, we would do it. Also, Caixa has full conditions to develop and create new products. But today we have very limited legislation, what makes that others have more options to develop new products.
Source: Exclusive GMB
