Filipe Alves Rodrigues, president of the Brazilian Association for Positive Gaming (AJP), emphasized that the growth of federal lotteries signals room for expansion at the state and municipal levels.
“Federal lotteries grow at a rate of 22% per year. From that, we can infer there is great potential for state and municipal lotteries,” he stated.
The lawyer also highlighted the shift in public perception regarding the sector: “New generations are becoming aware that gambling is entertainment, but a large part of the population still doesn’t see it that way,” he said.
Lawyer Paulo Horn, president of the Special Commission on Sports Gaming of the OAB/RJ, emphasized the constitutional support for municipalities’ involvement in the sector.
“The Constitution is the supreme law. It defines which public services are exclusive to the federal government. And it does not establish a monopoly,” he explained.
Camilo Roma de Brito, president of the National Association of Municipal and State Lotteries (ANALOME), called attention to the need for standardization.
“We need to create a business model, a standardized model, with the necessary precautions,” he argued.
Lotteries as engines of development
The panel “Lotteries and Their Social Role in the Brazilian Economy” explored the direct impact of lotteries on the local economy. Hiago Piau, vice-president of ANALOME, emphasized the importance of the activity in bringing returns to cities.
“The money collected by municipal lotteries circulates in the city, is returned to the city and transforms the city. It’s not just about revenue—it’s about social function,” he stressed.
Fred Justo, former monitoring coordinator for the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting at the Ministry of Finance, warned about the risks of a lack of oversight. “How can we ensure that a company licensed outside the municipality is accountable for that territory?” he asked.
Autonomy of federative entities
Marcello Correa, vice-president of the OAB/RJ Commission, commented on the authority to define local lottery operations.
“Who will decide the scale and scope of the dispute between federative entities is the Supreme Federal Court. It is not an absolute power of Congress,” he stated.
Paulo Horn criticized federal legislation provisions that, according to him, restrict free competition. “Article 35 prevents a state from contracting a particular operator if another has already done so. This violates principles of public administration,” he stressed.
Francisco Saint Clair, secretary of Vassouras (RJ), was direct in advocating for the creation of lotteries. “If I could give one piece of advice to municipal managers about launching lotteries, I would say: do it!” he said.
Stella Coimbra, from São Paulo Parcerias, emphasized the need for planning. “The autonomy guaranteed by the Constitution must be accompanied by planning, governance and focus on social impact,” she said.
Responsible Gaming as a foundation for sustainability
Responsible Gaming as a core principle of the industry was also a central theme of the meeting. Not only in a dedicated panel, but throughout the event, the topic was raised as a basic premise for operators to follow best international practices.
Experts emphasized that the prevention of compulsive gambling must be at the heart of public policies and betting operations. Industry professionals pointed to the use of technology and individualized approaches as key strategies for protecting players.
“Responsible Gaming started as marketing. Today, it’s a principle. A value that permeates the sector’s entire legal framework,” said Filipe Alves Rodrigues.
Camilo Roma de Brito, president of ANALOME, argued that protection measures can be written into contracts: “There are already tools capable of cross-referencing the amount wagered with a person’s declared income,” he noted.
Conrado Caon, Commercial Director at Paymee, warned of the need for prevention. “It’s no use closing the door after the horse has bolted,” he said.
João Victor Wallach de Godoy, CEO of Betpilot, stressed that blocking players is not enough. “They’ll just look for another operator. We need to go further and create individualized treatment based on data,” he concluded.
Agreement signed
During a panel on Responsible Gaming, a cooperation agreement was signed between Analome and the Brazilian Association for Positive Gaming (AJP). The partnership, which is non-financial, has an indefinite duration.
Among the commitments, the AJP undertakes to provide technical support whenever requested by Analome and to conduct educational initiatives on responsible gaming. Analome, in turn, will recommend AJP as a technical reference to its members.
Intense second day
On Tuesday (6), discussions delved deeper into Brazilian legislation and the framework established by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting. One panel (“Law 13.756/2018 and Law 14.790/2023 and the emergence of a Regulated Market”) featured lawyer Simone Vicentini, jurist Luiz César Martins, legal consultant Lucineia Souza, and lawyer Bruno Coaracy.
The debate centered on the legal framework that has enabled the structuring of betting in Brazil and the space municipalities should occupy in this process.
“Regulation is the way forward. We developed the Betting Management System (Sigap) even before the new law was enacted. Brazilian regulation has become a global reference,” said Simone Vicentini, praising the public consultation launched by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA).
For her, although the federal law focused on the states, municipalities also have legitimacy to act. “Constitutionally, I believe municipalities have this right,” she stated.
Lawyer Lucineia Souza highlighted the evolution of Brazilian legislation from the 1930s to the recent reconfiguration of the sector following Supreme Court decisions. “Justice Gilmar Mendes’ vote recognizes that states, municipalities and the Federal District have jurisdiction to act. Everything starts at the municipal level,” she said.
Lawyer Bruno Coaracy warned against conflicts between different operating models. “We can’t have a war over lottery values or between physical and virtual modes. The association’s role will be essential,” he said.
Concluding the panel, Luiz César Martins strongly defended municipal autonomy. “There is no hierarchy between the Union, states and municipalities. If a municipality is too small to organize a lottery, it shouldn’t be organizing health or education either. And it does,” he declared, provoking reflections on the role of federative entities.
In the second panel, the debate deepened into the differences between lottery modalities and the technical and legal precautions municipalities must take. The panel featured legal consultant João Motta, lawyer Ana Paula Gatti, and Hebara CEO Amilton Noble.
João Motta explained that subnational entities may operate instant lotteries (like scratch cards), fixed-odds (like sports betting), passive (with pre-numbered tickets), and fixed-odds betting. He emphasized the importance of technical security and system auditability. “It is essential to ensure secure games, with externally audited RNGs, and that all financial transactions are traceable and digital,” he said.
Lawyer Ana Paula Gatti addressed legal risks, especially given the Supreme Court’s lack of clarity on the scope of municipal fixed-odds betting. “It is possible to issue tenders, but ideally one should start with already established modalities. Instant and passive games are a good starting point,” she suggested. For her, caution is key to avoiding federal conflicts.
Amilton Noble, head of one of the country’s largest lottery operators, Hebara, stressed the social role of lotteries. “It is essential for municipalities to use revenues for public policies. Gambling must be a tool of citizenship. And that can only be achieved with serious operators, clear regulatory frameworks and ongoing audits,” he defended.
One of the congress panels brought together legal experts and specialists to discuss the legal, operational and financial challenges states and municipalities face when creating local lotteries. Fabiano Jantalia, president of the OAB/DF Gaming Law Commission, argued that the decentralization of lotteries is feasible and comparable to other public services. “Credibility is the most important thing in a regulatory environment, whether in Brazil or around the world,” he said.
Lawyer Daniella Miranda, former legal counsel for the Minas Gerais Lottery, pointed out the difficulty small municipalities face in sustaining the model. “The financial aspect is still a challenge for many small municipalities,” she noted.
Paulo Horn, president of the OAB/RJ Special Commission on Sports Gaming, Lotteries and Entertainment, emphasized the legal legitimacy of municipal operations. “The Constitution allows municipalities to legislate on matters of local interest,” he said.
Filipe Alves Rodrigues highlighted the importance of structure and oversight. “Passing a law alone is not enough,” he concluded.
Advances in payment methods and fraud prevention were discussed by specialists during the panel “Payment Methods and Fraud Prevention.”
Participants included Ângelo Braga (PYXPAY LatAm), Gilberto Sousa (Regula Forensics), Leandro Rodrigues (Mutual), Juliano Augusto (lawyer) and Leonardo Barreto (Master in Economic Criminal Law).
Ângelo Braga emphasized that the Central Bank is a global model of regulation and innovation. “Pix is a revolutionary system that brought agility and inspired more than 30 countries,” he said.
Gilberto Sousa, from Regula Forensics, highlighted the role of technology in detecting fraud. “The cost of fraud must be included in operational expenses. And it is very high,” he stated.
Leandro Rodrigues, CEO of Mutual, advocated for the use of smart tools without compromising user experience. “We need to balance security with experience,” he declared.
Lawyer Juliano Augusto noted that fraud prevention begins with the customer journey. “It’s better to invest in prevention than to repair reputational damage,” he said.
Leonardo Barreto warned about the link between betting and money laundering. “A robust compliance system is essential to prevent the sector from being used by criminal organizations,” he stated.
The need for social return from municipal lotteries was the focus of the panel “Resource Allocation and Social Oversight.” The debate featured lawyer José Francisco Manssur and Rio de Janeiro State prosecutor Fernando Barbalho, moderated by Raquel Lima, president of the Brazilian Institute of Sports Law (IBDD).
José Francisco Manssur defended the legality of municipal lottery operations. “There is no factual or legal reason to prevent municipalities from operating this modality,” he said. The lawyer emphasized the social role established by law. “Since the 1967 decree, the social allocation of lotteries in Brazil has been foreseen,” he recalled.
Fernando Barbalho called attention to the responsible use of resources. “Social oversight must be an integral part of the public policy linked to lotteries,” he stated.
Raquel Lima highlighted the importance of sports as a counterpart. “Lotteries can and should be a funding tool for sports development,” she said.
The final panel addressed marketing strategies for local lotteries, with an emphasis on regionalized communication, institutional strengthening and social commitment. Panelists included Fernando Paz (SOHO Sports & Brands), Natalia Nogues (Control F5) and Amilton Noble (Hebara).
According to Natalia Nogues, engagement with social causes is essential. “Social responsibility is fundamental to legitimize the brand,” she said.
Fernando Paz highlighted the connection to local reality. “This connection with the community generates value and a positive image,” he emphasized.
Amilton, in turn, pointed to sports as a strategic ally: “Local passion can bring brands closer to customers,” he concluded.
Source: GMB
