Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office in the Federal District (MPDFT) has requested advertising contracts signed between betting operator Blaze and two of the country’s biggest public figures, football star Neymar Jr and influencer Virginia Fonseca, as part of an ongoing civil investigation into the company’s marketing practices.
Fonseca is Brazil’s biggest influencer in numbers, surpassing 50 million followers.
The inquiry centres on potential consumer protection violations, including allegations of misleading advertising and abusive promotional tactics. According to reports, prosecutors are particularly interested in contractual provisions related to marketing guidelines and any references to betting as a source of “extra income.”
Public security analyst Elijonas Maia said the investigation was prompted by complaints alleging that celebrity ambassadors may receive compensation linked to player losses on the platform.
“According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the complaint they received and are investigating is that Virginia and Neymar are paid with part of the money lost by bettors,” Maia said.
The MPDFT is also seeking detailed information about Blaze’s customer account procedures, including how accounts are opened, monitored, restricted and closed, as well as the internal criteria used for those decisions and how users are informed of actions affecting their accounts.
Neymar recently faced criticism online after publishing a promotional video for Blaze shortly after being selected for Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.
According to the prosecutor’s office, Blaze generated an estimated BR600m ($108m) in revenue during 2025. If consumer protection violations are ultimately confirmed, the company could face a collective moral damages claim worth as much as BR120m.
Earlier this year, influencer Virginia Fonseca was named alongside operator Betano in a separate lawsuit alleging misleading betting advertising practices
