Caixa revokes 23 licenses for 2026, plans World Cup offensive
The state bank maintains its "zero tolerance" policy and adds new closures to the 162 from last year. At the same time, it is negotiating with Febralot to launch special products for the 30th anniversary of Mega-Sena and the sale of World Cup stickers.
Caixa Econômica Federal (CEF) has started 2026 with a firm hand. In the first month of the year, the state giant formalized the forced revocation of 23 operating permits for lottery agencies, as recorded in the publications of the Official Union Gazette.
This measure confirms that the network cleanup did not stop with the change of the year. During 2025, CEF had already canceled a total of 162 licenses (17 of them in December alone), affecting units that did not meet performance or regulatory standards. The closures in January hit agencies in strong markets such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but also reached municipalities in Amazonas, Pará, and Rio Grande do Sul.
Despite this adjustment, the system’s reach remains enviable: the Brazilian Federation of Lottery Companies (Febralot) highlights that the network maintains more than 13,100 operational units, covering 98% of the country’s municipalities and supporting about 70,000 direct jobs.
The strategy to reactivate sales
Beyond supervision, Caixa knows it needs to improve the profitability of the lottery agents still standing. For this reason, it is designing a calendar of special events for 2026.
The main attraction would be the celebration of the 30 years of Mega-Sena, Brazil’s flagship game. The idea being considered with Febralot is to launch a commemorative draw to replace the traditional "Easter Dupla Sena," with an estimated prize exceeding R$ 150 million (USD 28.6 million).
Football and stickers: The 2026 World Cup plan
With the World Cup on the horizon, the state bank seeks to diversify customer flow in its locations. Ricardo Amado, president of Febralot, revealed that the legal possibility of selling 2026 World Cup albums and stickers in lotteries is being analyzed. The goal is to capitalize on the massive traffic generated by collecting during the tournament.
Additionally, for more traditional sports bettors, Caixa plans a themed edition of the Loteca focused exclusively on the World Cup matches, aiming to capitalize on the football fever in a key year for the sport.
Tags: Brasil, Caixa Brasil, Brazil lotteries