The Government of São Paulo announced this Thursday (May 8), through publication in the State’s Official Gazette, that in accordance with the bidding notice, the “Aposta Vencedora” consortium has been disqualified from the concession process for the São Paulo State Lotteries. Although the group submitted the highest bid during the auction held in November 2024, it failed to meet mandatory conditions, including payment of the fixed concession fee—an essential step for signing the contract.
“Our commitment is to transparency, efficiency, and responsible public resource management. We act with seriousness and accountability, and when the rules are violated, we take the appropriate measures swiftly, always in defense of the public interest,” said Rafael Benini, Secretary of Investment Partnerships.
Even after two deadline extensions and additional time granted, the payment was not made. As a result, the contract was not executed, and the process is now moving on to the next stage, as outlined in the public notice.
A sanctioning procedure has been initiated to investigate the consortium’s conduct and potentially enforce the performance bond, along with any other legal measures necessary to safeguard the public interest.
Following the disqualification, SP Loterias—the second-highest bidder—will be officially summoned for the qualification phase. The group will have 60 calendar days to sign the contract, provided that all technical and legal requirements are met.
The São Paulo State Lotteries concession has the potential to generate more than R$ 500 million in revenue, which remains earmarked for the construction of two new public hospitals in the cities of Itapetininga and Birigui. This is part of the São Paulo State Government’s broader commitment to expanding its healthcare network.
This measure reaffirms the State Government’s firm and responsible approach to managing concessions, ensuring legal certainty, integrity in procedures, and a results-driven focus for the benefit of society.
State Lotteries
In addition to allocating funds, the project establishes clear guidelines for operating the service. It provides for the creation of 31 exclusive units and over 11,000 non-exclusive outlets throughout the state of São Paulo. The Portuguese consortium may offer services both physically and virtually. The concessionaire will assume full responsibilities and risks under contractual parameters, with the option to operate various lottery modalities—though not required to operate all of them. Revenue is expected to reach R$ 3.4 billion, to be invested in public health policies.
The permitted lottery formats include prediction-based games (specific, sports, numerical, and passive) and instant lotteries (such as scratch cards). The winning company will decide which modalities to offer. The contract also mandates that the consortium prevent access to lottery products by children and teenagers. Physical retail outlets must be located at least 300 meters away from daycare centers or primary and elementary schools.