STF Orders Loterj to Restrict Sports Betting to Rio de Janeiro Within 5 Days Using Geolocation

Jan 2, 2025, 07:26 PM

The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) has issued a ruling that prohibits the Rio de Janeiro Lottery (Loterj) from authorizing sports betting companies to operate outside the state of Rio de Janeiro. The decision, made by Minister André Mendonça, responds to a request from the federal government and mandates that Loterj and the state government of Rio de Janeiro take measures within five days to ensure that bets are only accepted from within the state's borders. This includes reinstating the use of geolocation mechanisms to verify the location of bettors. The ruling stems from concerns that Loterj's previous authorization allowed betting companies to operate nationally, which was seen as a violation of federal regulations and an infringement on the federal government's authority over national lottery operations.