Lotteries in Brazil are permitted as an exception to penal prohibitions on gambling, operating as a public service under federal monopoly. The legal foundation was laid by Decreto-Lei nº 204, de 27 de fevereiro de 1967, which explicitly authorizes the União to run lotteries for social benefit (1).
Since 1961, the Caixa Econômica Federal has held exclusive rights to organize and sell lottery tickets, under oversight from the Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) of the Ministério da Fazenda. In May 2024, SPA/MF issued Portaria nº 827 to define criteria for private agents in fixed-odds betting, underscoring strict regulatory control (2).
"A Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda (SPA/MF) publicou a Portaria SPA/MF nº 827, de 21 de maio de 2024, com as regras e as condições para obtenção da autorização para exploração comercial da modalidade lotérica de apostas de quota fixa" (2)
Adult Brazilians and legal residents may purchase lottery tickets at authorized retail outlets or via the official Loterias Online portal, provided they are over 18 and register with their CPF. Unauthorized sales by unlicensed vendors are illegal and subject to penalties under federal law (1, 2).
Source:
https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Decreto-Lei/1965-1988/Del0204.htm
https://www.gov.br/fazenda/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/2024/maio/fazenda-publica-as-regras-e-as-condicoes-para-obtencao-da-autorizacao-para-exploracao-comercial-da-modalidade-loterica-de-apostas-de-quota-fixa
Last updated: 20-05-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
