The State Attorney's Office of Paraná informed the Supreme Federal Court on Thursday (23) that the State Lottery of Rio de Janeiro (Loterj) is not complying with the injunction issued by Minister André Mendonça of the STF, which suspended the national operation of 'bets' by companies accredited by the state lottery. The decision also required the geolocation of bettors. Paraná suggests that Mendonça set a daily fine of R$ 50,000 to enforce the decision.
In the document presented to the Supreme, the State of Paraná reacted to Loterj's claim that the State Lotteries of Paraná (Lottopar) cannot impose the "geolocation lock", and therefore, would not have control over the virtual offering of lottery products by its accredited, whether inside or outside the territorial limits of the State of Paraná.
The State of Paraná is amicus curiae in the process, that is, a third party that provides information in the process.
According to the State of Paraná, Loterj was notified of the decision on January 2 and had five days to comply with the judicial order, which expired on January 9. "More than 14 days have passed since the deadline, and it still has not complied with the injunction, in clear affront to this esteemed Supreme Federal Court," says the document.
The State of Paraná says that it is possible to make the territorial lock and has done so. In addition, it emphasized that the implementation of geolocation tools does not require direct technical intervention by the public power, whether by Loterj or by Lottopar. According to the State of Paraná, the responsibility for adopting the technologies lies entirely with the operators.
"Therefore, the claim of technical difficulties in implementing these mechanisms lacks foundation, being completely incompatible with practical reality and with the technological resources currently available," says the text. "Such claims constitute an attempt to buy time and postpone compliance with the judicial decision," it adds.
On January 2, Minister André Mendonça issued an injunction and suspended the national operation of fixed quota bets ("bets") that had been carried out by companies accredited by Loterj.
Thus, the "bets" companies accredited by Loterj cannot offer the service outside the territory of Rio de Janeiro. The injunction will be put up for analysis by the other ministers in a virtual plenary session from February 14 to 21, 2025. Loterj has already filed an appeal, but it was denied.
Source: Valor
