Bill 3042/20 destines to the National Health Fund (FNS), during the state of public calamity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, 5% of the total revenue from the sale of bets and tickets from the numerical lotteries ( such as Mega-Sena and Quina), Loteria Federal and Lotex (scratch cards), all operated by Caixa Econômica Federal. The proposal is pending on an urgent basis, approved by the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies.
The 5% for the FNS will be subtracted from the percentage collected with the bets that today is used to pay the prizes and the Income Tax that is levied on the prizes. For example: currently, 65% of the amount collected from the sale of scratch cards is directed to the prize and the IR. The project reduces this percentage to 60%.
The FNS is the financial manager of resources destined to the Unified Health System (SUS). Most of the amount is transferred to states and municipalities through transfers to state and municipal health funds, or through instruments such as agreements and terms of cooperation.
Author of the project, deputy Alexandre Frota (PSDB-SP) states that the reinforcement in the FNS budget is an emergency solution to support SUS, overloaded with patients from COVID-19. The measure will also prevent the federal government from having to resort to external loans to pay for the measures taken to combat the coronavirus.
Last year, the 10 lottery modalities operated by Caixa raised R$ 16.7 billion (US$ 3.35b) , the highest nominal value in history. Mega-Sena, Lotofácil and Quina concentrate most of the collection (43%, 26% and 17%, respectively).
Source: GMB / Agência Câmara de Notícias
