Neymar's latest post on X (Twitter) reignited a long-running debate around the role of celebrity and influencers endorsements in Brazil's betting market.
In the message, the player advises fans to treat betting strictly as entertainment and to avoid wagering when money is tight.
He also emphasized that "responsible gaming must always come first" and reminded followers that betting is restricted to adults over 18.
The post directs users to Blaze's responsible-gaming page and ends with the standard warning that betting offers no guaranteed returns.
The message drew criticism online, with many users pointing to what they described as a contradiction between the athlete's responsible-gaming guidance and his commercial relationship with Blaze.
Neymar became a partner of the operator in December 2022 through an agreement between Blaze and NR Sports, the agency that manages his career.
The original contract established exclusive global promotion rights and included annual payments of about $15m.
According to prior reporting, the agreement has since been renewed with higher compensation.
Public reaction argued that the responsible-gaming message carries different weight when delivered by someone with the financial security of a star footballer.
It was highlighted that while the advice is technically correct, it comes from a figure whose campaigns routinely encourage engagement with an operator facing heavy scrutiny in Brazil.
The contrast between his cautionary tone and the scale of the partnership became central to the debate.
The broader context also fuelled the discussion: Blaze has faced regulatory and reputational pressure in recent years, including a complaint alleging that the company's promotional content had targeted children.
The concerns raised by regulators, consumer protection advocates and the public continue to shape the conversation around this platform's marketing practices.
Neymar Jr and Blaze previously had a complaint related to misleading advertising archived by Rio de Janeiro's Judiciary
