Blaze and Virginia Fonseca face another $23m lawsuit over alleged betting abuses

Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPDFT) has filed a civil lawsuit against betting operator Blaze and influencer Virginia Fonseca.

MPDFT alleges abusive commercial practices and seeks at least BR120m in collective moral damages.

According to the complaint, the investigation was triggered by two parallel streams of evidence: direct complaints from consumers alleging systematic retention of deposited funds, blocked accounts and generic justifications for withholding withdrawals, alongside a technical report identifying more than 42,000 complaints relating to the platform.

Prosecutors argue that the alleged practices targeted financially vulnerable consumers by combining promises of additional income with endorsements from well-known public figures. 

The lawsuit claims Blaze relied on aggressive marketing techniques designed to encourage continued betting activity through persuasive messaging, artificial urgency and highly attractive promotional offers.

As part of the investigation, members of the MPDFT created accounts on the platform to monitor the company’s advertising practices. 

According to the lawsuit, Blaze systematically sent promotional emails encouraging registered users to continue betting through campaigns built around commercial incentives and time-sensitive offers.

Recently, the MPDFT requested advertising contracts signed between Blaze and both Virginia Fonseca and football star Neymar Jr as part of its wider civil investigation into the operator’s marketing practices.

The prosecutors also noted that the investigation began in 2023, when Blaze was still operating in Brazil without federal authorization, before the country’s regulated market came into force.

Virginia Fonseca’s legal team rejected the allegations, denying any collusion, predatory conduct or intention to cause harm to consumers. 

Blaze said it had not yet been formally notified of the lawsuit but reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and compliance with Brazilian laws and regulations.