LOTERJ allocates R$ 20 million to football in Rio de Janeiro state with a decree from Couto.
The acting governor of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Couto, signed this Tuesday (15) Decree No. 50.386, published in the State Official Gazette this Thursday (16), which authorizes the allocation of up to R$ 20 million from the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (LOTERJ) for sports sponsorship aimed at football in Rio de Janeiro.
The funds can be used for competitions in the A2, B1, and B2 series of the Campeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro State Championship), as well as youth football, women's football, and sports leagues. The decree ensures that all these segments are included.
Distribution criteria
The distribution of the R$20 million will follow objective parameters to be defined by LOTERJ itself. The decree establishes that four factors must be considered cumulatively when distributing the funds:
⇒ scope and duration of each competition;
⇒ execution phase of the championship;
⇒ social and sporting reach of the tournament;
⇒ projects submitted by the beneficiaries.
The rule stipulates that the amounts allocated to each category should be proportional to its characteristics and needs, respecting the overall ceiling of R$ 20 million.
Legal basis and accountability
The resources originate from the net profit determined by LOTERJ in the 2025 balance sheet, combined with the available financial balance throughout 2026. The decree defines net profit as the remaining revenue after deducting taxes, operating costs, prizes, investments, and the establishment of a technical reserve.
The allocation of funds will adhere to the principles of legality, transparency, efficiency, and public interest. The invested amounts will be subject to accountability, demonstrating the physical and financial execution and the results achieved by each program, project, or sponsorship instrument.
The normative basis of the decree dates back to Decree-Law No. 138, of June 23, 1975, which created LOTERJ and established the social destination of the agency's operating profits. The measure also observes Law No. 2.242, of May 26, 1994, and the restrictions of Complementary Law No. 159/2017, as amended by Complementary Law No. 178/2021.
Reaction to the decree
The announcement was received with approval by Hazenclever Lopes Cançado, former president of LOTERJ, who attributed the origin of this sports sponsorship policy with resources from legal gambling to his administration. "I want to congratulate the acting governor, Ricardo Couto, for the decision to maintain LOTERJ's support for the Carioca Championship Series A2, B1 and B2, the youth categories and women's football," he declared.
For Cançado, the continuation of the initiative is a sign that it has transcended the limits of a specific administration. “This is a public policy that I had the honor of building during my tenure as president of LOTERJ, with the conviction that the resources from legal gambling should return to society in the form of opportunities,” he said. The former president also affirmed the economic and social effects of the investment: “Sport drives the economy, generates jobs, strengthens commerce, reveals talents, and transforms lives in all regions of the State of Rio de Janeiro.”
Cançado concluded his statement with an assessment of the measure's scope. "When a public policy yields results, it needs to transcend governments. Those who benefit from this decision are sports, the economy, and, above all, the people of Rio de Janeiro," he concluded.
DECREE No. 50.386 OF JULY 15, 2026
This law addresses the allocation of resources resulting from the activities of the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery – LOTERJ, and provides other measures.
The Acting Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, in the exercise of his legal powers, and considering the contents of Process No. SEI-150013/000059/2026, and
CONSIDERING:
– Decree-Law No. 138, of June 23, 1975, which provides for the Lottery of the State of Rio de Janeiro – LOTERJ;
– Article 14 of the aforementioned legislation, which establishes the social allocation of the Authority's operating profits;
– LOTERJ's financial autonomy, resulting from its own sources of revenue;
DECREE:
Article 1 – The net result determined by the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery – LOTERJ, in the 2025 Balance Sheet and in ticket sales for Instant, Conventional Multiple Chance and Prognostic Contest Lotteries, during the year 2025, observing the provisions of Decree-Law No. 138, of June 23, 1975, as well as Law No. 2.242, of May 26, 1994, will be applied, together with the available financial balance during the fiscal year 2026, to programs and projects of social interest, related to public security, education, culture and sports, social security, with emphasis on health, in hospital care, according to criteria to be established by the Authority, with observance and faithful compliance with the restrictions contained in LC No. 159/2017, with the amendments made by LC No. 178/2021.
§ 1 – For the purposes of carrying out the actions foreseen in the heading, the additional use of R$ 20.000.000,00 (twenty million reais) is authorized, to be withdrawn from the available financial balance in the fiscal year of 2025.
§ 2 – From the amount foreseen in § 1, up to R$ 20.000.000,00 (twenty million reais) may be allocated to the execution of sports sponsorship agreements aimed at football competitions in the A2, B1 and B2 series, as well as youth football, women's football and sports leagues, ensuring the allocation of resources to all segments covered, as provided for in this Decree.
§ 3 – The distribution of resources referred to in § 2 shall observe objective criteria defined by LOTERJ, considering cumulatively the extent and duration of each competition, the phase of its execution, the social and sporting reach of the championship and the projects presented by the respective beneficiaries, so that the amounts allocated to each modality are proportional to its characteristics and needs, respecting the overall limit provided for in § 2.
§ 4 – For the purposes of this Decree, net income is considered to be the remaining revenue after deduction of taxes, operating costs, bonuses, investments, and the establishment of a technical reserve.
Article 2 – The application of the resources referred to in this Decree shall observe objective criteria defined by LOTERJ, based on the principles of legality, transparency, efficiency and public interest.
Article 3 – The resources applied will be subject to an accountability process, demonstrating the physical and financial execution and the results achieved by the programs, projects, contracts, and sponsorship instruments.
Article 4 – This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its publication.
Rio de Janeiro, July 15 of 2026
RICARDO COUTO DE CASTRO
Acting Governor
