In a final vote today, members of the Portuguese Parliament approved a law that makes the sale of lotteries and scratch cards at post offices dependent on government authorization while CTT holds the universal postal service concession.
The bill was passed with the favorable votes of all parties except Chega and Liberal Initiative, who voted against, with the text stating that this limitation on the sale of lottery tickets and instant lottery (known as scratch cards) “shall take effect on January 1, 2024.
The text approved today results from a bill presented by Livre, with the final wording that was voted on today determining that “the activity of selling lottery tickets and instant lottery in post offices, during the term of the Universal Postal Service Concession depends on government authorization.
On February 10, during a debate in parliament, the Minister of Infrastructures, João Galamba, announced that “CTT “will stop selling scratch cards”, a decision that goes along with the Livre proposal.
“The management of the current CTT administration will stop using the CTT network to sell scratch cards and will dedicate itself precisely to what Mr. Rui Tavares said he would like CTT to do, that the Government would also like CTT to do and the good news is that the current CTT administration has the same vision”, stressed João Galamba, in the same debate.
The concession contract for the provision of the Universal Postal Service (SPU) was renewed by direct adjustment at the beginning of 2022 to CTT and lasts for seven years.
The parliament also approved today the final text of a law that resulted from a Free project that aims to strengthen the rights of consumers by prohibiting the forced renewal of services or equipment whose useful life has not yet expired.
The initiative was approved with Chega abstaining and the other parties voting in favor.