In the justification of the project, the Executive recalls that “Recently, the Federal Supreme Court consolidated the understanding that the legal nature of the operation of lotteries in the country constitutes a public service, with no prohibition for municipalities regarding the exploitation of consortium systems and draws, since there is no obstacle to the provision of public lottery service by the Federal Government, managed by Caixa Econômica Federal, not even by the State of Rio Grande do Sul, maintaining the independence of the relations of the federated entities.”
“We are experiencing a very difficult time in the country, with reduced resources and increased expenses for municipalities, due to decisions taken in Brasília. Health resources are lacking. Therefore, we took this unprecedented initiative with creativity, seeking to increase actions in such a priority area. I know that this concern is shared by the councilors and, therefore, I believe that Lotopel will have a smooth process in the Chamber and, if approved, we will have another tool to increase investments in Health,” points out Mayor Paula Mascarenhas.
The text of the project clarifies that the fundraising, with Lotopel, will be through entertainment and exploitation of lottery games. “A lottery is considered to be any operation, game or bet, in the form of a prediction contest, through the distribution of tickets, numbers, lists, coupons, vouchers, signs, symbols or similar means for obtaining prizes in money or goods from another nature by lot.”
The Lotopel public service will be operated, after approval by the Legislature and the Law of its creation having been sanctioned, directly or indirectly by the Executive, by the Municipal Department of Finance, or, alternatively, by legal entities governed by private law, with or without profit, provided that meet strict legal qualification requirements, tax and labor compliance, economic qualification and other conditions required by law.
The Municipality emphasizes that “the percentage distribution rates of the resources obtained in the capture of bets or the sale of lottery products will be destined to the financing of actions and services in the area of public health, with the objective of increasing revenues for the promotion and financing of health, especially in this period of health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a financial contribution to meet current demands.” The operation of the Pelotas Lottery will constitute a source of new resources destined to the subsidy of essential public policies.
Still in the justification of the project, the City Hall emphasizes that the “Municipality is responsible for complying with the regulations that deal with the communication to the Financial Activities Control Council (COAF) of the Central Bank of Brazil, about gamblers, in order to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, an obligation established by Federal Law 9.613, of March 3, 1998."
Source: GMB
