The National Forum for the Systemization of Lottery (SINAPO) was officially established on 28 January by the Secretariat for Awards and Lottery of the Brazilian Ministry of Finance (SPA/MF) with a view to promoting greater harmonization of rules and practices in Brazilian lottery. The creation of SINAPO by the SPA is another key initiative before the departure of Regis Anderson Dudena as head of the secretariat. At the same time, on 29 January, Dudna was appointed Secretary for Economic Reform of the Ministry of Finance, putting an end to his important role in the construction of Brazil ‘ s regulated lottery industry.
SINAPO was created to “promote coordination, integration and dialogue between the Confederation, the Länder and the Federal District on the operation of lottery operations”. In other words, the objective of the Forum is to promote greater consistency in industry rules within the framework of the Brazilian Constitution, which allows the state lottery to operate in parallel under federal supervision. The core work objectives of SINAPO include the exchange of best practices in rules and operations, the coordination of joint actions, the integration of strategic data and the enhancement of legal certainty, transparency and integrity in the area of lottery operations and the general economy. The SPA aims to make SINAPO work effectively by creating an institutionalized environment to reduce fragmentation of rules and to enhance legal certainty between operators and regulators.
SINAPO will be coordinated by the SPA and will include representatives of the Federal Government, the states and the Federal District. Of these, the SPA will be represented primarily by its Secretary and the Deputy Secretary-General by an alternate. The states and the Federal District may participate in SINAPO through an agreement of accession, which will clarify the rights and obligations of the parties. The SPA shall publish the text of the accession agreement within a maximum of 45 days. The decree specified that SINAPO would meet on a regular basis four times a year and, if necessary, on an ad hoc basis. Meetings may be held on-site, online or in combination. The participants are limited to duly designated representatives, but the SPA may invite other open bodies, private entities and representatives of civil society to attend as necessary. In addition, the decree provides for the possibility of a maximum of five “thematic debate forums”, each for a period of three months, after which the same period may be renewed. These working groups will be discussing specific topics in the operation of lottery and lottery as complementary mechanisms to the SINAPO meeting.
The establishment of SINAPO has enabled the Brazilian system of gaming control to be built up through a number of decrees, regulations and operational frameworks. The establishment of this national forum, which emphasizes coordination rather than centralization, underscores the concept of cooperative governance in the area of lottery regulation, which is held by the Brazilian Ministry of Finance. In the future, SINAPO will be an important strategic tool for promoting regulatory coherence, promoting dialogue among federal entities and guaranteeing the sustainable development of the Brazilian lottery and lottery system.