LOTERJ officials discussed progress on regulating video lottery terminals in Rio de Janeiro at a meeting on 16 July. The discussions covered new ways to offer lottery products in the state; no regulatory decision or timetable was announced.
VLT regulation could affect how lottery products are distributed in Rio de Janeiro.
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LOTERJ met BMM Testlabs in Rio de Janeiro on 23 July to discuss regulation of video lottery terminals, which the state is finalising. LOTERJ president Hazenclever Lopes Cançado said the framework was under development; the source gives no completion date.
Rio de Janeiro’s city council approved the first reading of bill PL 3667/2024 on 4 November, proposing a programme to prevent harm from online betting and gambling disorder. The proposal includes a permanent awareness campaign, bars sports-betting advertising aimed at children and adolescents, and is due to return for a second vote.
In a first discussion held on Wednesday (04/11), Rio's city chamber passed PL 3667/2024. Its purpose is to establish a programme for preventing the effects of online betting and for fighting ludopathy. The project will go back on the agenda for a second vote.
Rio de Janeiro's state legislature (Alerj) approved, in a second reading on 14 October, Bill 6.343/25 by deputy Fred Pacheco. It sets guidelines for mental health care for people with compulsive use of electronic and gambling games, covering multiprofessional care, prevention, therapeutic follow-up and support for patients and families. The bill now goes to the state government, which has up to 15 working days to sign or veto it.
Rio de Janeiro's state legislature, Alerj, approved Bill 6.343/25 in a second reading on 14 October, according to the assembly. The bill sets guidelines for mental health care for people with compulsive use of electronic and gambling games. It now goes to the state government, which has up to 15 working days to sign or veto it.
Rio de Janeiro’s municipal health department introduced screening for betting dependency at primary-care clinics in August 2026. In the first week, 3,070 patients answered the questions: 22 said they felt a need to bet, and 15 said they had concealed gambling expenditure from family. A positive response triggers further assessment and care, with support also available to relatives.
Brazilian Senate candidate Carlos Jordy said he would seek to ban online betting if elected to represent Rio de Janeiro. He argued that betting harms families; the source also reports that presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro is considering tighter restrictions, with no decision on a ban yet.