To Know
Social games are operated, in the name and on behalf of the State, by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. Since 2004, they have been operating in society under the brand Jogos Santa Casa.
The State’s social games are currently available at around 5000 retailers spread across the country, as well as on the Jogos Santa Casa (JSC) website – www.jogossantacasa.pt – and on the JSC App. The operation of games, granted to Misericórdia de Lisboa, is a recognition of the character of integrity, seriousness and security, demonstrated by the institution throughout its more than five centuries of history.
The Gaming Department is responsible for creating all the necessary conditions to channel the demand for gaming to the State’s offer of social games, in order to ensure the protection of public order, family assets and the return to society of what is spent in gaming. This return is made through the prizes awarded to players and the distribution of the results to a wide range of beneficiaries, who work in areas sucha as: Social Welfare, Health, Sports, Culture, Security and Civil Protection, among others.
As a responsible operator, the Gaming Department promotes a Responsible Gaming Policy based on the principles of adopting moderate gaming habits; regular provision of useful information to players/, so that they can make informed choices about their gaming habits; and also to promote the act of playing as a fundamentally social activity, insofar as gaming means entertainment.
The Responsible Gaming Policy, in force since 2015, aims to reaffirm Santa Casa’s commitment to adopting the principles of Responsible Gaming and continuing to improve its measures and practices in this area.
BENEFICIARIES
The State’s social games (Jogos Santa Casa), whose operation is of the exclusive responsibility of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML), are so designated because their respective revenues are entirely allocated to social causes – the so-called Good Causes. These are one of the main sources of funding for the State’s social policies, in fields as varied as health, social solidarity, sports and culture.
Society benefits from the money returned by Jogos Santa Casa in the form of prizes, remuneration to Retailers by players, stamp tax on sales and prizes, results distributed to beneficiaries, legal deductions on gross sales to promote sports, sponsorship and investment in promoting legality and Responsible Gaming.
Decree-Law no. 56/2006 of March 15th, later amended by Decree-Law no. 44/2011 of March 24th, Decree-Law no. 106/2011 of October 21st and Decree-Law no. 23/2018 of April 10th, changed the revenue sharing scheme for social games, in order to maximize funds through a more balanced and stable distribution of game results, taking into account the net proceeds from the operation of all games. The aforementioned decree aimed at “improving the distribution of funds relating to social support to the elderly, the deprived, people with disabilities, families and the community in general, children and young people, as well as greater promotion and appreciation of culture , an improvement in educational quality and an increase in support for sporting activities, which allows the development of a balanced and equitable network of educational, cultural and eminently social support”.
This distribution covers activities as diverse as: the provision of long-term integrated care; the prevention and treatment of addictions; initiatives in the field of car accidents and the prevention of social risks that can lead to crime; initiatives aimed at combating poverty and social exclusion; support for various types of victims; civil protectionor schools sports.
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa is one of the beneficiaries of the revenues from the State’s social games (Jogos Santa Casa). The amounts of the expired prizes of Euromillions, the National Lottery, Placard and M1LHÃO also revert to its recognized social work.