# Law No. 4161 of December 4, 1962

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648420](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648420)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4161-of-december-4-1962

## Summary
**Law No. 4161 of December 4, 1962** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 4.161, de 4 de dezembro de 1962*) is a Brazilian federal statute that amended provisions of Decree-Law No. 6.259 of February 10, 1944, which governs lottery regulations in Brazil. Promulgated by President João Goulart, the law modifies item 4 of Article 9 and Article 19 of the earlier decree-law. It is classified as a formal written legal instrument (statute) applicable throughout Brazilian jurisdiction.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 4.161, de 4 de dezembro de 1962
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4161/1962
- **Promulgation Date:** December 4, 1962
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgating Official:** João Goulart (President of Brazil)
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Instance Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (federal level)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Lexml Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4161
- **Subject Matter:** Amends lottery regulations established under Decree-Law No. 6.259 (February 10, 1944)
- **Specific Provisions Modified:** Item 4 of Article 9 and Article 19 of Decree-Law No. 6.259/1944
- **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4161.htm
- **WikiProject Classification:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What does Law No. 4161 of December 4, 1962 modify?**
This law alters item 4 of Article 9 and Article 19 of Decree-Law No. 6.259, dated February 10, 1944. The original decree-law governs lottery operations in Brazil.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with João Goulart serving as the promulgating authority on December 4, 1962.

**Where can the official text of this law be accessed?**
The full text is available through the official Brazilian government portal at the Planalto website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4161.htm) and is indexed under the Lexml Brazil system with identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4161.

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 4161/1962?**
It is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates or modifies law. As a federal statute, it applies to all jurisdictions within Brazil.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4161 of December 4, 1962 represents a specific legislative action during the presidency of João Goulart, one of Brazil's most politically turbulent periods. The law addresses lottery regulations, which have significant implications for public revenue generation, gambling control, and state-sponsored gaming operations in Brazil. By amending Decree-Law No. 6.259 of 1944, this statute reflects the ongoing evolution of Brazil's regulatory framework for lotteries—a sector that continues to generate substantial public funds for social programs, cultural initiatives, and government operations.

The law also exemplifies the legislative process during Brazil's pre-military dictatorship era (before the 1964 coup), when the Goulart administration was actively governing through both decree-laws and regular statutory legislation. Understanding this law provides insight into how Brazilian lottery policy developed over time and how earlier Vargas-era regulations (the 1944 decree-law originated during the Estado Novo period) were modified by subsequent democratic governments.

## Notable For
- **Amendment of Vargas-Era Legislation:** Modifies Decree-Law No. 6.259 from 1944, which was enacted during Getúlio Vargas's Estado Novo regime
- **João Goulart Era Legislation:** One of the statutory instruments promulgated during the brief and politically significant Goulart presidency (1961-1964)
- **Lottery Regulation:** Addresses the legal framework for Brazilian lottery operations, a significant source of public revenue
- **Lexml Integration:** Fully indexed in Brazil's official legal documentation system (Lexml Brazil) with persistent identifier
- **Federal Statute Classification:** Representative example of Brazilian federal statutory law from the early 1960s

## Body

### Legislative Context and Historical Background

Law No. 4161 of December 4, 1962 emerged during the presidency of João Goulart, who served as President of Brazil from September 8, 1961 until March 31, 1964, when he was deposed by a military coup. This statute was promulgated approximately midway through Goulart's tenure, during a period of significant political polarization in Brazilian society.

The law operates as an amendment to earlier legislation—Decree-Law No. 6.259 of February 10, 1944—which was enacted during the Estado Novo dictatorship under Getúlio Vargas. The original 1944 decree-law established comprehensive regulations for lottery operations in Brazil. By modifying specific provisions (item 4 of Article 9 and Article 19), Law No. 4161/1962 demonstrates the continuity of legal instruments across different political regimes in Brazil, with democratic governments amending rather than replacing authoritarian-era legislation when deemed appropriate.

### Subject Matter: Lottery Regulations

The law digest explicitly states that this statute "ALTERA O ITEM 4 DO ARTIGO 9 E O ARTIGO 19 DO DECRETO LEI 6.259, DE 10 DE FEVEREIRO DE 1944, QUE DISPÕE SOBRE LOTERIAS" (alters item 4 of Article 9 and Article 19 of Decree-Law No. 6.259 of February 10, 1944, which deals with lotteries).

Brazilian lotteries have historically served as significant sources of government revenue, with proceeds often directed toward:
- Social security funding
- Cultural and sports programs
- Educational initiatives
- Public health programs
- General government operations

The specific modifications to Article 9, item 4 and Article 19 of the original decree-law suggest targeted adjustments to particular operational or administrative aspects of lottery management, though the exact nature of these changes requires consultation of the full legal text.

### Formal Legal Classification

Law No. 4161/1962 is classified as a **statute** (*estatuto* or *lei* in Brazilian Portuguese legal terminology). According to legal classification systems, a statute is:

- A formal written document that creates or modifies law
- A subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule"
- A manifestation of statutory law
- Composed of legal norms
- Created through the legislative process

As a federal statute, this law:
- Applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil
- Was promulgated by the executive branch (Presidency)
- Carries the force of law throughout Brazilian territory
- Represents federal-level regulatory authority

### Publication and Official Documentation

The law was officially published in Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil (which had been established as the capital on April 22, 1960, just over two years prior to this law's promulgation). The official documentation includes:

- **Publication Date:** December 4, 1962
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Official Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Citation Format:** Lei nº 4161/1962

The law is indexed in Brazil's Lexml system with the persistent identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4161`. Lexml Brazil is the official system for identifying and locating Brazilian legal documents, ensuring permanent and reliable access to legal texts.

### Digital Accessibility

The full text of Law No. 4161/1962 is available through official Brazilian government channels:

- **Planalto Portal:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4161.htm
- This URL points to the Civil House (Casa Civil) section of the Presidency's website, which maintains the official repository of Brazilian federal legislation
- The law is categorized under the 1950-1969 legislative period

The availability through the official government portal ensures public access to the law's complete text, consistent with principles of legal transparency and the public domain status of Brazilian legal instruments.

### Jurisdictional Application

As a federal statute, Law No. 4161/1962 applies to:
- The entire territory of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- All 26 states plus the Federal District
- All persons and entities subject to Brazilian law

The "applies to jurisdiction" property explicitly identifies Brazil as the territorial scope of this legislation, consistent with its status as federal law.

### Related Legal Instrument: Decree-Law No. 6.259/1944

The primary legal instrument modified by Law No. 4161/1962 is:
- **Decree-Law No. 6.259**
- **Date:** February 10, 1944
- **Subject:** Lottery regulations (*dispõe sobre loterias*)

This decree-law originated during the Estado Novo period (1937-1945), when Brazil was under the authoritarian rule of Getúlio Vargas. Decree-laws (*decretos-lei*) during this period were issued by executive fiat without traditional legislative approval, representing a different form of lawmaking than the standard statutory process.

The fact that Law No. 4161/1962 amends rather than replaces the 1944 decree-law indicates that the core regulatory framework established during the Vargas era remained relevant and operational nearly two decades later, even as specific provisions required updating.

### Institutional Authorship and Promulgation

The law carries the authority of:
- **Approving Body:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (*Presidência da República Federativa do Brasil*)
- **Promulgating Official:** João Goulart
- **Determination Method:** Promulgation (formal proclamation giving legal effect to the law)

This institutional attribution confirms the law's status as an official act of the Brazilian federal government, issued through proper constitutional channels as they existed in 1962.

### WikiProject Classification

Law No. 4161/1962 is included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its recognition within collaborative knowledge organization systems dedicated to documenting Brazilian legal instruments. This classification aids in systematic categorization and cross-referencing of Brazilian legislation within public knowledge bases.

### Language and Nomenclature

The law exists in **Brazilian Portuguese** (*português brasileiro*), the official language of Brazil. Its formal nomenclature includes:
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 4.161, de 4 de dezembro de 1962
- **Alternative Rendering:** Lei nº 4161, de 4 de dezembro de 1962
- **Short Citation:** Lei nº 4161/1962
- **English Rendering:** Law No. 4161 of December 4, 1962

The "nº" and "n." abbreviations both represent "número" (number) in Portuguese legal citations.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-12-04;4161)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4161&ano=1962&data=04/12/1962&ato=42fMTRE5kMVRVTb5f)
3. LexML Brasil