The Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, is expected to send an urgent bill to the state legislature by the end of February seeking authorization to relaunch the state lottery.
The proposal would allow the operation of four lottery modalities and marks a renewed effort to monetize gambling activities at state level.
The initiative is grounded in State Law No. 15,868/2022, which authorizes lottery exploitation in Rio Grande do Sul.
The project was developed by the Secretariat for Partnerships and Concessions with technical support from consultancy consortium Shimata & Kikuchi GBSA.
While the return of the lottery itself enjoys broad political support, the proposal has exposed fault lines over whether sports betting should be included.
State deputy Tiago Simon publicly opposed the inclusion of betting, calling it an “own goal” and urging the Vice-Governor to reconsider that section of the proposal.
According to Civil House chief Artur Lemos, the final format has yet to be defined. The Government recently concluded a public consultation and is now reviewing the contributions before deciding whether betting will remain part of the bill.
Social allocation is a central pillar of the proposal. 20% of net proceeds would be earmarked for public policy, split evenly between public security, health, social inclusion and sports.
The bill also includes a responsible gaming framework, incorporating self-exclusion mechanisms, spending limits and strict advertising rules aligned with federal standards.
The move places Rio Grande do Sul alongside a growing list of states pursuing lottery expansion.
The state of Acre has also recently sanctioned its first state lottery law after vetoing a ban on sports betting
