Caixa Econômica Federal suspended lottery draws in Brazil on Good Friday, 3 April, and closed physical lottery outlets for the holiday. The Mega-Sena draw 2992 and Loteria Federal draw 6054-2 were moved to Saturday, 4 April; the Mega-Sena prize was estimated at R$10 million.
Lottery operators and players must account for the holiday schedule change and rescheduled draws.
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Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting said consumers should not pay fees or share personal or banking details in response to messages seeking payment to release betting balances. The SPA said it had received no report about the specific fraud but confirmed that Caixa Econômica Federal would handle refunds and that payment methods used by fraudsters were under investigation.
Brazil's Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) has told consumers not to pay fees or provide personal or banking details in response to messages demanding payment to release betting balances, the regulator said. The SPA said it had not received reports about the specific fraud, but reiterated that no fee is foreseen for the return of funds to bettors. The return of remaining balances will be handled exclusively by Caixa Econômica Federal, according to the secretariat.
No ticket matched all six numbers in Mega-Sena contest 3.073 drawn on 22 October in São Paulo, so the estimated prize rolls to R$230m for the next draw on Sunday 25 October. The previous estimate was R$206.4m. If paid in full, it would be the second-largest regular Mega-Sena prize, behind R$317.8m shared in October 2022.
No ticket matched all six numbers in Mega-Sena contest 3.073, drawn on 22 October in São Paulo, so the estimated prize for the next draw rises to R$230m. The next draw is scheduled for Sunday 25 October, also in São Paulo.
Brazil banned sports betting and online casino games under Provisional Measure 1.394/2026, signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 25 September. Authorised platforms closed from 6 October, with new deposits blocked and advertising and sponsorship prohibited. Vixio Regulatory Intelligence analysed four possible outcomes, including a permanent ban and a reopening of sports betting while online casinos stay prohibited.
Brazil banned fixed-odds sports betting and online casino games under Provisional Measure 1.394/2026, signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 25 September. The measure took immediate effect and is before the national Congress. Authorised platforms closed from 6 October, new deposits were blocked and advertising and sponsorship were prohibited.
Reportedly, the bank deadline to return balances from platforms closed by MP 1.394/2026 ended on 14 October. Caixa Econômica Federal was due to handle amounts not yet transferred from 15 October; by the morning of 15 October, the government had not released a consolidated tally. Its latest figures showed R$ 159 million pending, while eight companies had not sent banks all the information needed for refunds.
Caixa Econômica Federal took responsibility on 15 October for returning balances that had not reached bettors from platforms closed under MP 1.394/2026, after the banks' deadline ended on 14 October. By the morning of 15 October the government had not released a consolidated tally of the operation, according to the report.
Brazil’s communications secretariat said betting companies had reported R$159 million in remaining customer balances for refund, based on updated company data. Eight companies had not sent banks the required account information, and the federal attorney general’s office plans legal action to compel them to do so; financial institutions were expected to make refunds by 14 October.