In recent days, users of sports betting websites may have noticed that several platforms are offline, with access blocked for consumers in Rio de Janeiro and, in some cases, other locations. This situation follows a request by Loterj, the institution that oversees the lottery sector in Rio de Janeiro, which was granted by the Federal Court to prevent the operation of platforms that function without a license in the state.
Loterj states that “bets,” sports betting operators, must be registered in Rio de Janeiro to offer their services. Following the court decision by the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region, Anatel proceeded with blocking access to the sites through the mobile data networks (3G, 4G, or 5G) of operators Claro, Vivo, and Tim. However, in some cases, users report that they can access the sites via Wi-Fi.
In Rio de Janeiro, Loterj has initiated its own licensing process through a public notice, setting a state grant of R$ 5 million. This amount is below the R$ 30 million per license defined by the Ministry of Finance in Ordinance SPA/MP No. 827, which established the rules for authorizing the operation of sports betting and online gaming in Brazil.
The Ministry of Finance has also set December 31 as the deadline for betting companies to obtain a license to operate in Brazil. Therefore, operators are appealing the decision since the maximum deadline set by the Federal Government has not yet expired. Loterj, on the other hand, says it is supported by an understanding from the Supreme Federal Court (STF), which recognized the right to issue licenses to betting companies.
