Brazil’s New Lotteries To Raise Money for Health and Tourism Approved

Posted on: September 23, 2022, 08:13h. 

Last updated on: September 23, 2022, 11:11h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

A legislative initiative to bring more lottery products to Brazil has found success. The country is still debating the merits of sports betting and online casinos. But everyone welcomes lotteries, including President Jair Bolsonaro.

Christ the Redeemer Statue
An aerial view from behind of the Christ the Redeemer Statue Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. New lottery products to provide revenue for health and tourism services in the country have found approval. (Image: Pinterest)

At the end of August, Deputies approved a bill that proposed the creation of two lotteries with specific targets. The Health and Tourism lotteries would generate funds for their respective fields, as states across the country try to compete.

This past Wednesday, both lotteries officially became part of the gambling landscape. Bolsonaro signed off on the legislation, transforming them into national law.

Search For Funding

Bill PL 1561/2020, now “Ordinary Law 14455/2022,” updates lottery laws that have been on the books since 2018. It opened the door to the creation of the two new lottery products in order to create new sources of income for tourism and health. In addition, it aims to finance initiatives to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each of the new lotteries will allocate 5% of their proceeds to their respective causes. The Brazilian Tourist Board (Embratur, for its Portuguese acronym) will be in charge of making sure it gets the funds.

It will also be responsible for funneling the money to programs that will have the most impact on national and regional tourism. One of these is the Brazilian Agency for the International Promotion of Tourism.

For the health lottery, the National Health Fund will be in charge. Any unclaimed prizes will go to the respective entity in both cases.

Winners have 90 days to stake their claim, according to A Gazeta, or they will forfeit the money. There has been a decade-long push to amplify the time limit to 12 months, but it still has not found enough support.

PSA On Lottery Safety

For anyone who hasn’t played the lottery, or who needs a reminder, staying anonymous after a win could be the difference between life and death. While not all jurisdictions that have licenses allow anonymity, Brazil does.

Alves won BRL47million (US$9.01 million) in a lottery draw this past July. He didn’t alter his routine, however, and he kept the same lifestyle he had enjoyed for years. Then, a few days ago, he left his home and never returned.

Almost a day later, a motorist found him lying on the side of the road, beaten and almost unrecognizable. Despite rushing him to a hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.

An investigation by the police revealed that he was kidnapped for approximately BRL3 million (US$600,000). The kidnappers ordered him to call his bank and make the transfer. But they were not as bright as they thought.

As almost all banks would, the bank wouldn’t handle the large transaction over the phone. The assailants were unable to finish their crime, so they allegedly vented their anger by beating Alves and then leaving him for dead.

They will be brought to justice, though. The police have already arrested two of the four suspects, and are on the trail of the other two.

These types of crimes are not uncommon in Brazil, and people have to be hyper-vigilant. Since 2007, at least four Mega-Sena lottery winners have been killed.