The joint venture between International Game Technology and Scientific Games Corporation under which the two companies would supply and operate a concession providing instant scratch-card lottery games to the Brazilian Lottery has been suspended.
According to a joint statement released by IGT and Scientific Games, it was revealed that CAIXA Econômica, which operates the largest lottery retailer network in Brazil, failed to authorize the agreement by the concession deadline.
“IGT and Scientific Games jointly participated in a bid for the award of the first national instant lottery concession in Brazil (the LOTEX Concession),” the statement reads. “The parties were awarded the LOTEX Concession in October 2019. Pursuant to the award, IGT and Scientific Games were required to satisfy certain conditions precedent for the execution of the concession agreement by September 21, 2020. Prior to and since receiving the award of the LOTEX Concession, the parties repeatedly informed the government of Brazil that it was critical, to ensure the success of the national instant ticket business in Brazil, to have a signed distribution agreement with CAIXA Econômica, operator of the largest lottery retailer network in Brazil.
“Following more than seven months of diligent discussions with CAIXA, the parties successfully completed contract negotiations. However, despite reaching an agreement on the final version of the contract more than two months ago, CAIXA failed to authorize its execution by the concession deadline, and our request for an extension of the process was not granted.”
“The 13,000 lottery retailers within the CAIXA network are fundamental to a successful launch of the instant ticket business in Brazil,” said a joint statement from Walter Bugno, IGT’s executive vice president of new business and strategic initiatives; and Michael Conforti, president of global strategic accounts for Scientific Games, “and without such distribution network, the companies were not prepared to move forward.
“In addition, on September 30, 2020, the Supreme Court of Brazil ruled that the federal government’s lottery monopoly was unconstitutional, paving the way for states to develop state lotteries for each of Brazil’s 26 states and one federal district. As a result, and despite being fully prepared to fulfill all of the financial and non-financial conditions precedent of the concession agreement, prudent capital management dictates that we withdraw from the process and re-evaluate the business case of implementing a lottery operations model in Brazil.”
The statement added that should the Brazilian government extend the deadline for CAIXA to approve, “we will explore the possibility of re-engaging in the process.”
