Latin America’s traditional lottery network is facing two different but closely connected challenges: the pressure of digitalization and the expansion of illegal gambling operations. While lottery entrepreneurs in Brazil are seeking government support to protect nearly 100,000 formal jobs, the Dominican Republic’s industry is warning that lottery betting shops now handle more than RD$400 million per day in a market increasingly affected by illegal operators.
In Brazil, the National Association of Lottery Entrepreneurs (ANEL) submitted a formal proposal to Caixa Loterias requesting the creation of the Lottery Labor Supplement (AEL). The initiative was presented to Caixa Loterias President Renato Silva Siqueira through a letter signed by ANEL President Valdecir Pimenta da Silva. The objective is to offset the financial impact that the rapid growth of digital betting channels is having on traditional lottery agencies.
Renato Silva Siqueira
Brazil’s land-based lottery network consists of approximately 13,000 outlets across the country and supports around 100,000 direct jobs. In addition to selling lottery products, these agencies process payments, collect taxes, provide banking services and offer financial access in regions where digital penetration remains limited. The proposal calls for a subsidy equivalent to one minimum wage per employee, linked to the number of lottery terminals operating at each location. ANEL suggests financing the program through resources from the Lottery Development Fund, a percentage of digital channel revenue and other complementary funding sources.
Cristian Guzmán
At the same time, in the Dominican Republic, Cristian Guzmán, Secretary General of the National Federation of Lottery Betting Shops (Fenabanca), revealed that lottery betting shops process more than RD$400 million daily, equivalent to approximately RD$146 billion annually.
According to Guzmán, the figure is closely linked to the uncontrolled proliferation of illegal betting shops throughout the country, a situation he attributes to insufficient enforcement mechanisms within the Directorate of Casinos and Games of Chance, which operates under the Ministry of Finance.
Guzmán also warned about the illegal sale of lottery numbers through electronic devices known as verifones, a practice that allegedly operates without legal guarantees for consumers. He claimed to be aware of cases in which players won up to RD$200,000 but never received their payouts. To address the issue, the Dominican government launched a regulatory process in 2022 through Decree 63-22, resulting in the registration of approximately 30,974 betting shops. More recently, President Luis Abinader issued Decree 197-26 to restart the sector’s restructuring process and strengthen oversight through the newly created National Lottery Advisory Council.
President Luis Abinader
The two cases highlight the strategic importance of lotteries across Latin America. In Brazil, the debate centers on balancing digital growth with the preservation of employment and physical infrastructure. In the Dominican Republic, the priority is regaining regulatory control over a market where illegal operations threaten the sustainability of licensed businesses. In both countries, lotteries remain far more than gambling products; they are networks that support public revenue, financial inclusion, essential services and thousands of jobs.
