Suspension of Pix Saque and Pix Troco by Caixa alarms lottery shop owners across the country.
The Brazilian Federal Savings Bank (Caixa Econômica Federal) has decided to discontinue Pix Saque and Pix Troco services at Brazilian lottery outlets. The suspension will take effect in March 2026. The Brazilian Federation of Lottery Companies (Febralot) classifies the measure as detrimental to concessionaires in the sector.
Official statement from the state-owned bank.
The state-owned bank issued a notice informing that the two services linked to the instant payment system will be discontinued in lottery outlets. All units nationwide will be affected by the decision next month. According to information from VEJA magazine's Radar column , Febralot (Brazilian Federation of Lottery Outlets) is in negotiations with Caixa Econômica Federal (Brazilian Federal Savings Bank) to prevent the measure from being implemented, acting administratively since the announcement of the possible service withdrawal.
Sector points to financial imbalance
Febralot characterizes the interruption as generating "significant economic imbalance" for the sector. According to the entity, thousands of small licensed companies use the flow of banking services as a basis for the financial sustainability of lottery outlets. The sector is already experiencing difficulties with the growth of betting in the market. The federation clarified that it will evaluate alternatives to defend the interests of the network if the administrative phase ends without a satisfactory solution.
Motivation of Caixa and operational issues
The statement indicated that the reason given for the possible removal of Pix Withdrawal is unrelated to the MED Pix (Special Return Mechanism). The explanation provided to the federation suggests that the motivation for the potential removal of Pix Withdrawal is linked to a competitive strategy by Caixa in the market where the bank operates. Febralot stated that it disagrees with this interpretation presented by the financial institution.
During a meeting held on Friday (February 13th) between Caixa, Febralot and state unions, five main measures were presented to reduce risks in Pix operations: creation of a specific defense flow with employees specialized in the lottery process; reduction of the QR Code validity to only 10 minutes; implementation of user identification for Pix transactions starting February 23rd; suspension of Pix Withdrawal and Pix Change starting March 16th; and implementation, by March 31st, of transaction completion conditioned on the identification of the same paying/issuing user.
Dealers and affected population
Lottery concessionaires across Brazil will be directly impacted by the measure. The suspension primarily affects small, licensed businesses responsible for operating the units. Citizens who depend on lottery outlets to access financial services will also be harmed, especially those without a bank branch nearby. The potential removal of Pix withdrawals compromises the relevance of lottery outlets for users of banking services unrelated to gambling.
National scope of the suspension
The service disruption affects lottery outlets nationwide. Municipalities where lottery outlets represent the only point of in-person financial services will feel the impact more intensely, especially in poorer regions. The entity emphasized that the lottery network cannot be disregarded in its operational and economic needs.
Investments in the sector for adaptation
Lottery outlets across the country invested resources in infrastructure, training, and operational adjustments to comply with Central Bank guidelines. These adjustments aimed to expand public access to digital payment methods. The suspension of Pix Saque and Pix Troco is seen as a negative point by lottery representatives, as it is a very useful and interesting resource for both lottery outlets and the public, but in practice will only penalize both sides.
Fraud and problems with MED Pix
Lottery business owners have reported fraud related to Pix's MED system, where scammers arrive at the lottery outlet, make a deposit or Pix withdrawal of significant amounts (R$ 1, R$ 2), and then request a refund. In Mogi das Cruzes, a lottery outlet suffered a refund of R$ 18 without explanation, facing a block on Pix operations from other institutions for a week during the investigation.
The Special Return Mechanism (MED) of Pix, an instrument regulated by the Central Bank, allows for the blocking and possible return of funds in specific cases of suspected fraud or operational failures. Under the current system, customers have up to 80 days to dispute payments, resulting in the immediate blocking of funds and a 7-day suspension of transactions at lottery outlets.
Lottery representatives expressed concerns about several aspects of the system, including issues related to the allocation of financial risk in refunds via MED (Electronic Payment Method) and the operational impossibility of reversing bets already registered in the Caixa system. Negative points remain due to the debiting of the disputed amount by the payer immediately after the dispute, forcing the lottery operator to pay this amount out of their own pocket – an imminent risk impossible to calculate and therefore impossible to prepare for.
Mitigation measures announced by Caixa
Caixa informed that the Central Bank instructed the performance of individualized analyses of notifications involving lottery accounts, considering the activity, history, and operational profile of each unit. When undue charges of interest and IOF (Tax on Financial Transactions) related to these operations are identified, the amounts will be refunded to the lottery establishments.
Among the changes proposed by CEF, the identification of the user making the Pix payment stands out as a positive point, since in practice this action, which is already used in the withdrawal process, tends to be more effective. With this information in hand, added to the request for an official document with a photo (ID card, driver's license, work card, passport, etc.), only the account holder will be able to make payments via Pix.
It is important to emphasize that CEF (Caixa Econômica Federal) has committed to creating additional resources in the process to mitigate the risks of losses until the end of March 2026, although there is nothing that corrects or signals a definitive solution to the problem, meaning that the lottery network remains exposed to financial losses due to the use of Pix.
Consequences for revenue and operations
Febralot indicates that the suspension represents a "concrete loss" of customer service and ancillary revenue. This revenue is fundamental for maintaining the economic balance of the units. The movement generated by Pix withdrawals sustains the sale of other products and services in lottery outlets. Febralot seeks to prevent the exclusion of a transaction method from lottery outlets that is used throughout the retail trade.
Statements from the president of Febralot
Ricardo Amado, president of Febralot, stated that “Pix withdrawals have expanded the reach of the national financial system and strengthened the social role of lottery outlets as the main channel for financial inclusion in Brazil. Its suspension compromises operational revenues, reduces customer flow, and weakens job security in hundreds of municipalities, especially in the poorest regions.”
The official stated that "Pix withdrawals have become an essential instrument for financial inclusion, especially for citizens who do not have a nearby bank branch. Its suspension compromises the public function performed by lottery outlets and directly impacts the economic viability of these units."
Amado added that "Pix withdrawals generate transactions that support the sale of other products and services. Its exclusion reduces the operational relevance of lottery outlets, especially in municipalities where they are the only point of in-person financial services."
The federation reaffirmed its commitment to defending the interests of the sector. The organization stated that it will continue to act responsibly, through institutional dialogue and firmness, to preserve the strategic importance of the lottery network. The statement was signed by Ricardo Amado Costa, president of Febralot, who informed that the federation remains vigilant and will keep the network duly informed about the developments in the negotiations with Caixa Econômica Federal.
