State lotteries defend their operation and speak of their social role.
Representatives of state lotteries stated this Wednesday (October 22, 2025) that the sector plays a role in job and income creation. In their view, there is a social importance, in addition to the economic impact of the activity on the states. There was also a defense of regulating the segment and criticism of the possibility of increasing federal taxation on betting, reveals a report by Poder360.
The president of Loterj (Rio de Janeiro State Lottery), Hazenclever Lopes, was more incisive. He cited a post by the federal government on Instagram this morning, defending the increase in taxes on the gross revenue of bets. He called the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, "misinformed" and said that the head of the economic team does not listen to the sector.
Roberto Brasil Fernandes, founding partner of the law firm Brasil Fernandes Advogados, moderated the panel "The impact of state lotteries on the socioeconomic development of Brazil" at the "BiS (Brazilian iGaming Summit) Brasília". The conference, a first in Brasília, is an initiative of BiS SiGMA, with media partnership from Poder360.
The expert stated that state lotteries operate in a "solid and legal environment." According to him, the sector's performance is characterized by "great responsibility and caution."
Fernandes described the proposal to raise taxes on betting as a "huge mistake." "Revenue comes from the tax base, and 70% of the market is still informal. Increased revenue should not come from raising the tax rate," he stated.
The superintendent of Lotep (Paraíba State Lottery), Francisco Petrônio, said he seeks socioeconomic balance. “The lotteries in Paraíba are trying to understand this moment in order to thrive in the market they are in. We don't just seek economic development. If we think about it that way, it's a very narrow-minded approach,” he stated.
Regulation Beyond Revenue Collection
Hazenclever Lopes stated that the goal of state governments is to structure solid regulatory models. "We don't create models to collect revenue. We create models to regulate," he said.
The head of Loterj commented on the illegality of bingo halls and the treatment given to business owners in the sector. He said that "business owners turned into criminals overnight."
GROWTH POTENTIAL
Hazenclever mentioned the potential of VLTs (video lottery terminals), electronic devices that offer instant lottery games. He projected that the model could reach 200 terminals in Rio de Janeiro, creating 65.000 direct and indirect jobs.
“I am not creating a lottery modality in Rio. I am respecting federal legislation […] Rio de Janeiro is not legalizing slot machines. That will be legalized by the National Congress, which represents the Brazilian people,” he added.
The executive stated that the state already has the equipment ready and is working to open the first sports bar at the Jockey Club, in addition to decentralizing operations with terminals distributed across different regions.
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The Director of Operations for Lotese (Sergipe State Lottery), Everton Sales, stated that the State has been seeking to build a model with a “social commitment.” The representative of the Sergipe lottery highlighted Banese's presence in the operation. This creates a “favorable environment,” in his view.
Lototins CEO Eduardo Paiva emphasized that there is an effective control system in Tocantins. "The government has 100% control over everything that happens," he stated. According to him, it is necessary to "separate the wheat from the chaff."
He stated that the state is moving towards its third gaming terminal, and highlighted the potential of the activity. "Terminals are located at non-dedicated points of sale: bars, restaurants, snack bars. Or at dedicated points of sale," he said.
Speaking to Poder360, Paiva said there are approximately 5.000 light rail vehicles (LRVs) operating in Brazil.
