The judiciary decreed the bankruptcy of Oi for the second time this week. Given the company's crisis, which has persisted for at least ten years, the question arises about which clients still use the operator's services. Among these clients is Caixa Econômica Federal, which uses Oi's services to maintain the connection of lottery outlets.
Although the banking institution is considering replacing the service, this change is conditional upon a technical assessment. Documents provided by Oi's judicial administration indicate that the company has at least 14 contracts with Caixa to provide connectivity services to approximately 13,000 lottery outlets distributed throughout Brazil.
The dependence on a telecommunications company with operational problems was noted at the beginning of this August when lottery outlets in at least 18 states were without system due to an interruption in Oi's services.
The link cut was executed by Sitelbra, a telecommunications company serving Oi, due to non-payment. In addition to the lottery outlets, this shutdown impacted surveillance cameras of the Public Security Secretariat of the State of Bahia, operating circuits of Enel in Ceará, and government services in Goiás. The links were restored after a judicial determination.
The Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro formalized the second declaration of Oi's bankruptcy this week. The first decision, dated November 2025, had been suspended due to appeals filed by the banks Bradesco and Itaú Unibanco, who are creditors of the operator.
Considering the severity of Oi's financial situation, it is unlikely that the second decision will also be suspended. Faced with this scenario, Convergência Digital contacted Caixa to know its plans. The bank informed that Oi's services will continue to be provided as defined by the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro until there is a technical feasibility to change the telecommunications provider.
This position may seem vague, but it makes sense if we consider that the judicial decision declaring Oi's bankruptcy stipulates that the operator's essential services must be maintained until the transition to new providers is finalized. However, it is expected that Caixa will adopt a firm stance on the matter, given that the lottery outlets offer more than just lottery bets, providing various crucial services to the population, such as bill payments and access to social benefits.