STF Minister says activities go beyond municipal interest; Organization and inspection are the responsibility of the Federation through the Ministry of Finance
Brasilia – Minister Supreme Federal Court (STF) Cassio Nunes MarquezOn Wednesday 3rd, it suspended all municipal laws allowing the operation of betting and lotteries. According to Nunes Marquez, the activities go beyond the boundaries of the municipal interest, as organization and supervision are the responsibility of the federation, through the Ministry of Finance.
The report sought a representative from the Association of Municipal and State Lottery (Analomi), which lobbies for regional betting houses, but received no response.
The minister wrote that “regulating the market, supervising the service provided, and protecting the user’s basic rights go far beyond the limits of municipal interest.”
Still in the preliminary decision (on a provisional basis), Nunes Márquez states that the legislation regulating betting shows the legislator’s option “to centralize the supervisory structure in the federation, taking into account the clear national interest in sports, which is largely based on sports events (sports betting) and online gaming events (virtual betting houses)”.
Nunes Márquez’s decision will be analyzed in the plenary session of the court. This work was written by the Solidariedade party.
The STF Minister also suspended all tenders arising from municipal laws and imposed a daily fine of R$500,000 on municipalities and companies that continue to provide or advance the implementation of these services, and R$50,000 on mayors and heads of companies that continue to operate activities.
Municipal betting was a ruse for SMEs and was operated without seeking a license from the Ministry of Finance.
Even cities with a very small population have established laws to allow betting shops. In practice, companies register on these sites and make the site available throughout Brazil.