After unanimous approval by the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Norte, the state governor, Fátima Bezerra (PT), will sanction the law that institutes the Public Lottery Service and establishes the State Lottery Fund.
The law introduces an operational model under the responsibility of the State Department of Finance (Sefaz) and stipulates that the revenues collected will be allocated to public safety, health, housing, social security, science, and technology. These funds will be managed by the newly created State Lottery Fund.
The legislation updates a previous law from 2002 and authorizes the operation of lottery games through direct management, concessions, or accreditations. The expected annual revenue is estimated at R$25 million (US$4.5m). Sefaz will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating the service.
To ensure system integrity and promote Responsible Gaming, Sefaz will implement control mechanisms, including anti-fraud systems, restrictions on participation by minors and problem gamblers, and will keep records of prize winners for at least five years.
The state lottery may operate games involving numerical, specific, and sports-based predictions, similar to federal lotteries, as well as instant games — such as scratch cards — in both physical and digital formats.
The legislation also provides for a special credit allocation of R$3 million (US$544,000) to implement the necessary infrastructure. The system will include security measures for physical and electronic tickets, anti-fraud protections, and Responsible Gaming initiatives. All games must comply with lottery plans approved by an act of the executive secretary of the State Revenue Office.
Source: GMB
