Mayor Of Rio Bans Retail Sports Betting & Lottery Amid COVID-19

Marcelo Crivella has shut down all betting operations at retail providers due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
All lottery tickets and sports betting in Brazil must occur with online outlets.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Mayor Marcelo Crivella announced his ban on retail lottery and sports betting purchases on Monday.

The ban from the Rio Mayor is the newest tactic in trying to prevent the spreading of the Coronavirus outbreak by stopping the gathering of large groups like those that frequent establishments to gamble. COVID-19 cases have spiked in the city which has led Crivella to take this step in trying to protect the people of Rio.

How To Gamble In Rio With The New Ban

All non-essential facilities are now on lockdown in Rio de Janeiro until further notice. The lottery and sports betting can still be played by gamblers, even without going to retail facilities.

All gambling must now be accessed through internet platforms to abide by the new rules of social distancing. The storefronts that have these services will remain open for other purchases but Mayor Crivella urges people to begin doing their betting online starting now.

Horse betting in the city has continued to operate despite being told to stop all races or at the very least have closed races.

The Brazilian Jockey Club in Lagoa held nine different events in the first two weeks of May alone after being told to cease all activities.

Mayor Crivella has said he will force the Jockey Club to comply, even if that requires legal recourse. The Municipal Finance Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro has issued a letter to the Club that demands they stop all engagements that allow fans to attend amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Horse races can still be held without spectators.

Betting on the races will be available with the use of internet platforms. All gambling activities are considered non-essential and will remain an “online only” operation while the lockdown of the city continues.

What Lies Ahead For Brazilian Gambling?

“A lot of people haven’t realized that they need to avoid crowds and stay home. They can go outside only to do essential jobs or meet urgent needs. By unnecessarily exposing yourself, you’re increasing the risk. Our intention is to prevent that,” said Crivella.

The Coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll around the globe. Many sporting events have been canceled for months in order to stop the spread. Rio de Janeiro is just the latest city in the world to ban gambling at retail locations.

While internet sports betting and regular lottery purchases are not as popular with the bettors in Brazil as they are worldwide, this is expected to change.

With online platforms now being the only option for bettors in Rio, the popularity of these outlets is sure to spike just as much as the cases of COVID-19 in the city that have led them to these internet operators in the first place.

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Christina Monroe

Christina has been writing for as long as she can remember and does dedicated research on the newly regulated sports betting market. She comes from a family of sports lovers that engage in friendly bets from time to time. During the winter months, you can find Christina baking cookies and beating the entire staff at Mario Kart…the N64 version of course.