Brazilian football club Flamengo has won a legal dispute against an operator that had been using its brand identity without authorization.
In a ruling from a Court of Rio de Janeiro, the judge ordered the BetFla brand to permanently cease the use of Flamengo's name, colours and symbols, determining a daily fine of BR50,000 ($9.304) in case of non-compliance.
According to the decision, BetFla had been reproducing distinctive visual and verbal elements associated with the club, including the term "Fla", the red-and-black color scheme used by the club and nicknames for which the club is known for in the country such as "Mengo." "Mengão" and "Rubro-Negro."
The website was displayed in a way that created confusion among fans and consumers. The court found that these actions amounted to unfair competition and parasitic exploitation of Flamengo's reputation.
In addition to the permanent ban, BetFla was ordered to pay BR50,000 in moral damages, while compensation for material damages will be determined in the enforcement phase of the ruling.
The judge stated that the use of such elements "was clearly intended to generate association with the club and take advantage of its popularity," reaffirming the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and brand integrity in Brazil's betting market.
The ruling also upholds the suspension of domains linked to the infringing website, setting a strong precedent for clubs seeking to defend their trademarks amid the proliferation of betting-related brands in sports.
Flamengo, one of Brazil's most commercially powerful teams in the country, used to have a partnership with Pixbet before ending the contract by the start of this year.
The operator had a specific brand, called Flabet, which had the authorization to use the team's visual identity. The official brand was suppressed after the sponsorship ended.
Betano was recently confirmed as Flamengo's main sponsor in a deal that will run through 2028
