Loterj has been facing problems in the marketing of its “Loterj de Prêmios” game since last year. At the time, it was discovered that the product was being sold at jogo do bicho sale points. In April of this year, Loterj once again called the product “Rio de Prêmios”.
The tender generated a contract for the execution of physical lottery games, but with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the drop in revenue from the games led the company to exceptionally allow the online sale of the product and authorization was guaranteed by the State Attorney General.
Loterj's justification for the exceptionality took into account “the protection of citizens who are not circulating on the streets due to the pandemic and, in the same way, ensuring the resources of the State.”
The 2020 bid banned online gambling, but not online marketing of the product. This distinction is critical as the wholesale contract never offered online gambling.
Even the TCE's decision is in the sense of what is already practiced by Loterj:
"In view of the foregoing, we believe that it is necessary to issue DETERMINATION to Loterj, in the sense that it refrains from continuing the online marketing of the respective products, after the reasons provided for in the State Decree (Nos. 46.984/20 and 47.246/ 20) (TCE Process No. 100.757-4/20)." Such decrees are in force until December of this year and, therefore, Loterj is not in disagreement with the TCE.
Finally, it is worth remembering that Loterj is, at this moment, bidding the games online and, therefore, it is again in line with the determinations of the Court of Auditors. The company is only awaiting the final decision regarding the suspension of the bidding that deals with online games.
The company that filed the complaint did not participate in the event and wages a trade war with Loterj, a fact that may not be known by the Court of Accounts of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Source: GMB
