Zona de Azar Brazil – Loterj: STF Rules Ban on Bets Placed Outside the State of Rio de Janeiro

Brazil – March 12, 2025  www.zonadeazar.com The Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj) can no longer accept online bets placed outside the state’s borders. This decision was made by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) and upheld the preliminary ruling in the Original Civil Action (ACO) 3696, issued by Minister André Mendonça.

The ruling, which was unanimously approved by the STF on February 28, mandates that Loterj and the Rio de Janeiro state government stop accepting fixed-odds sports bets (bets) placed outside Fluminense territory.

Loterj’s Bidding Process Modified

According to Accreditation Notice 1/2023, and in compliance with current federal regulations, companies interested in operating bets in the state were required to implement a geolocation system to ensure that real-time bets were placed only within Rio de Janeiro.

Additionally, it was also required that measures be in place to block access from outside the state’s territorial limits. However, three months after the notice was published, it was modified—reducing the requirement to a simple declaration from the bettor stating that the bets were being placed within the state.

However, Minister Mendonça clarified that there is a territorial distinction between state and federal powers in the betting market.

In his vote, Mendonça stated that states have the authority to operate lottery activities and to regulate them exclusively within their territories. Meanwhile, only the federal government has the power to provide this service in a way that exceeds state boundaries.

According to Mendonça, the Loterj notice “created a fiction about the expanded territorial limits of Rio de Janeiro.”

Editor: @_fonta
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