Argentina: Santa Cruz lottery expands funding initiatives for sports clubs

Santa Cruz Governor Claudio Vidal met with Lotería para Obras de Acción Social (LOAS) President Claudio Seguel to discuss initiatives aimed at supporting sports clubs and other institutions across the province.

The meeting took place at the Government House, where they discussed the first in-person draw of the Deporbingo Santacruceño.

Sports clubs and institutions from across Santa Cruz are participating in the initiative, which was jointly developed by Lotería de Santa Cruz and the State Secretariat of Sport and Recreation, under the Ministry of Social Development, Equality and Integration. 

Deporbingo aims to provide sports organizations with an additional source of income to fund their activities and meet their operating needs.

More than 40 institutions already take part: They sell the bingo cards themselves and keep 60% of what they collect from card sales, which goes toward activities, equipment, building improvements and other needs. 

Vidal backed the work of the Lotería team and the progress of the project, which is intended to support clubs that play an important sporting and social role in their communities.

The meeting also covered the addition of a “Sale o Sale” draw for modular homes to the agency’s Special Telebingos, an idea that came from Vidal. 

Lotería de Santa Cruz has already held it twice: The first draw took place during the Telebingo Especial Primavera in Las Heras and the second during the Mother’s Day special in Gobernador Gregores.

Under this format, residents take part using only the number on their Telebingo card, without registering or attending the in-person event, which opens participation to every locality in the province. 

The provincial Government, through Lotería de Santa Cruz, continues to work on proposals that combine support for institutions, new prize options and a federal approach.

The LOAS president recently publicly denied reports from September that Casino Club planned to close its venue in Pico Truncado. 

At the time, he said the operator had submitted no closure request and confirmed that the casino's 25 direct employees were not facing layoffs. He also said that the Government's priority was to protect jobs linked to the operation, including indirect employment in the local economy.