ADI 4986 Mato Grosso lottery: Allegations, Court Orders and Status

What this case is about

ADI 4986 is a constitutional challenge decided by the Supremo Tribunal Federal (Plenário), docket ADI 4986 (9989395-76.2013.1.00.0000). The Procurador-Geral da República filed it on 18 June 2013 against Mato Grosso's state lottery rules, with Min. Gilmar Mendes as rapporteur (relator).

The challenge targeted state law 8.651/2007 and decrees 273/2011, 346/2011, 784/2011 and 918/2011, which let the state lottery, Lemat, run the same modalities as the Union. The PGR argued that this invades federal competence. The case belongs to Lottery Lawsuits in Brazil.

Who is covered

The defendants are the Governor and the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso. The ruling affects the Mato Grosso lottery and, through its reasoning, state lotteries across Brazil.

No ticket buyer or winner is a party. Gambling Lawsuits in Brazil lists the other Brazilian cases.

Is there a payout?

No payout exists in this case. It is a dispute between the federal prosecutor and a state over who may run lotteries, and the record shows no fund, damages or settlement.

There is no claim to file. GamblingLawsuits.org is not a law firm and not a claims administrator.

What the court decided

On 30 September 2020 the Tribunal unanimously dismissed the PGR's requests (improcedente). The decision came in the same session as ADPFs 492 and 493. The summary of the ruling is that states may run lottery modalities in their territory.

The judgment (acórdão) was published in the Diário da Justiça Eletrônico on 15 December 2020. The decision became final (trânsito em julgado) on 9 February 2021, and the file was sent back to the origin on 11 February 2021.

As of 14 November 2026 the status is judgment, and the case is closed. The docket shows no later step after the file was sent back.

The Court's operative text reads that the Tribunal, unanimously, dismissed the requests made in the direct action. The record gives no separate vote count or dissent.

Why it matters

ADI 4986 is part of the Supreme Court's 2020 line on state lotteries, decided together with two related cases listed below. It rejected the argument that Mato Grosso's lottery rules invade federal competence.

It also shows how long a lottery challenge takes: more than seven years passed from filing on 18 June 2013 to the ruling on 30 September 2020. For cases that did end in payouts to players, see Gambling Settlements by Year and Amount.

Questions people ask

Can a Brazilian state run its own lottery?

Yes, under this ruling. On 30 September 2020 the Supremo Tribunal Federal unanimously dismissed the challenge to Mato Grosso's lottery rules, and states may run lottery modalities in their territory.

Who brought ADI 4986 and when?

The Procurador-Geral da República brought it. The case was registered on 18 June 2013 and assigned to Min. Gilmar Mendes. It targeted state law 8.651/2007 and four decrees.

When did the decision become final?

The judgment was published on 15 December 2020, and the case became final on 9 February 2021. The Court dismissed the claim unanimously on 30 September 2020.

Related cases

• ADPF 492, Governador do Estado do Rio de Janeiro v. Decreto-Lei 204/1967: decided in the same session on the federal lottery monopoly.
• ADPF 493, Associação Brasileira de Loterias Estaduais v. Decreto-Lei 204/1967: the state lotteries association's challenge, decided in the same session.