He considered “the need to curb the proliferation of games and betting in places with free public access, without proper regulation, aiming at the protection of public health, the prevention of gambling addiction, and the maintenance of social order and urban security.”
In the justification for the decree, the acting mayor emphasized that the installation of lottery betting equipment in commercial establishments distorts the originally licensed activity, generating social, economic, and urban impacts.
Cavaliere did not take into account that the bill authorizing the installation of VLTs and betting kiosks establishes two types of venues: those created specifically for this purpose, such as sports bars, and others where betting would be offered as a secondary activity.
The decree prohibits the issuance of operating licenses to establishments that own or use lottery betting equipment, such as kiosks, betting terminals, Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), and Smart POS devices. Furthermore, establishments already licensed that install such equipment will have their licenses revoked.
The decree, published last Tuesday (19), regulates the operation of lottery modalities through Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), kiosks, betting terminals, and Smart POS machines in the state.
The text establishes that the operation will be carried out by Loterj, with all machines connected to its system. It also imposes a series of requirements, such as payments being made exclusively via Pix, in order to identify users.
In addition to lottery retailers and accredited establishments, the decree authorizes operations in VLT shops/sports bars — themed spaces dedicated to betting, with sports event broadcasts and an entertainment experience.
“Non-exclusive establishments” — such as bars, restaurants, and supermarkets — may also install the equipment, provided they are certified and connected to the Loterj system.
Loterj’s president, Hazenclever Lopes Cançado, assures that the program could generate up to 65,000 jobs and help boost tourism in the state. With the ban on the modality in the city, this number is expected to drop dramatically.
The Rio de Janeiro city government’s measure runs counter to the modernization already being implemented in other states, such as Paraná and Paraíba, and now arriving in Rio de Janeiro. Governor Cláudio Castro himself stated that the goal is not revenue collection, but rather to bring into legality what already exists “on every corner” without offering any security to bettors.
Source: GMB
