Caixa Lotteries: 64 years of history and a new phase with a subsidiary.
Sixty-four years ago, on September 15, 1962, a ticket with a top prize of 15 million cruzeiros was drawn in Rio de Janeiro. No one knew at that moment that this would be the first drawing of one of the world's largest lottery operations.
This Tuesday (September 15th), Caixa Lotteries celebrates six and a half decades of uninterrupted operation of the Federal Lottery. The date marks not only an institutional anniversary, but the culmination of a journey that began with the nationalization of the sector, underwent profound structural transformations, and arrives in 2026 in a process of reorganization to face the new era of regulated digital betting.
From private concession to public good.
The Federal Lottery was not originally managed by the state. Before being transferred to Caixa Econômica Federal (a Brazilian bank), the service was operated by the Peixoto de Castro family. The break with this model came on July 14, 1961, when President Jânio Quadros signed Decree No. 50.954, rescinding the existing concession contract and transferring the administration of the lotteries to Caixa Econômica Federal. The act also created the Administration of Federal Lottery Services (ASLF).
Industry literature points to constant fraud as the main reason for the termination. Businessman Simão Brayer, in a statement to BNLData, accurately described the moment of transition: “When Jânio took over the lottery, removing the operation from the traditional Rio de Janeiro family, Peixoto de Castro told Jânio Quadros that he was losing money with it, but that he was doing it for the honor of the country. Jânio said he didn't want anyone to lose money to the government, ordered the business to be taken over, and Caixa Econômica Federal assumed control of the lottery tickets.”
In 1962, the Union formalized Caixa's responsibility for managing, operating, and marketing lottery games. On September 15th of that year, the first draw under the new structure was held in Rio de Janeiro. The winning numbers in that inaugural draw were: 05349 (1st prize), 38031 (2nd prize), 26492 (3rd prize), 25151 (4th prize), and 01416 (5th prize).
The social role at the heart of the model
Since nationalization, the transfer of resources to priority areas has become the central function of Caixa Lotteries. Almost half of the total revenue collected from the games, including the percentage allocated as Income Tax, is transferred to the federal government for investment in health, education, public safety, and sports. This redistribution mechanism, constitutionally mandated, supports the institutional argument that lotteries are an instrument of social development, not just entertainment.
A new structure for a market in transformation.
The 2026 anniversary coincides with the closing of a cycle of structural changes. Caixa Econômica Federal transferred the management of federal lotteries to Caixa Loterias SA, a wholly-owned subsidiary created specifically to centralize the gaming and betting market. The measure was designed as a response to the regulation of the virtual betting market in Brazil.
The migration was conducted in phases throughout 2025, starting with electronic channels and the sale of the Exclusive Instant Lottery (Lotex), progressing with the gradual transfer of prediction products, such as Dia de Sorte and Super Sete, until the consolidation of the new administrative structure.
The reorganization preserved three pillars of the previous model:
⇒ Full public control; as a wholly owned subsidiary of Caixa Econômica Federal, Caixa Loterias SA rules out any privatization process of the service;
⇒ Maintenance of social transfers; the legal allocation of revenue to essential sectors follows the constitutional model;
⇒ Wide reach and reliability; for bettors and the lottery network, the service routine, prize collection, and digital channels operate under the same already established criteria.
Caixa Loterias has suspended the launch of its sports betting and online gaming platform, "Bet da Caixa," following strong resistance and a political veto from the Presidential Palace. Although the project was well advanced and the subsidiary Caixa Loterias had already disbursed R$ 30 million to pay the concession fee... Following a directive from the federal government, in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, the directive was that a public bank should not operate in a market associated with household debt and public health problems. With this decision, the state-owned bank shelved its plans, and the institution's focus remains restricted to managing traditional physical and digital lotteries.
With greater operational autonomy, Caixa Loterias will have the flexibility to diversify products, launch new modalities, and compete directly with private online betting and gaming operators . What remains undefined is the speed at which this digital expansion will consolidate in a market that continues to be actively regulated, 64 years after the lottery ticket that started it all.
