PROCON's action may prevent unauthorized PIX prize draws, raffles, and electronic lotteries.

The director of the Consumer Protection and Defense Program (PROCON) of the municipality of Patos (PB), Ítalo Torres, clarified an action that aims to demand the legalization of PIX prize draws, raffles, and electronic lotteries without authorization from regulatory bodies.

In recent months, several raffles organized by bloggers, ordinary citizens, and groups using apps have begun to attract people to participate in raffles with various items, from cell phones and cars to real estate and other attractive products. With varying prices, organizers set goals and seek to attract as many participants as possible.

Given the scale of illegal raffles, the director of PROCON Patos decided to notify the main organizers of these raffles so that they can legalize their operations with the relevant authorities, including the Paraíba State Lottery (LOTEP), and establish rules to prevent harm to consumers.

In response to PROCON's actions, some people are seeking to legalize their operations; however, the financial costs are high, bureaucratic, and time-consuming. In practice, PROCON's actions will reduce and may make such raffles unfeasible if they lack security and comply with the rules established by law.

“We opened an investigation regarding these prize-winning PIX [Brazilian instant payment system], raffles, and electronic lotteries so that companies present minimum requirements, such as: the rules of the raffle, how the consumer will withdraw if they withdraw, and what the refund will be. We need to have the issue of the previously selected date for the raffle. There was a raffle here in Patos, we became aware of it, which will be when the quotas are finalized, and that cannot be the case…not to mention the authorizations from LOTEP, the Federal Lottery, and other regulatory bodies that issue these authorizations for these raffles…our recommendation is that they suspend them until they have this documentation…”, Ítalo emphasized.

The actions taken by PROCON Patos have already caused a decrease in the number of people buying raffle tickets and have worried the organizers of these events. ( Polêmica Patos – Jozivan Antero)