A São Paulo court has rejected the Willer Tomaz Blaze lawsuit, in which the lawyer sought damages from the betting platform over gambling losses he puts at R$163m. Judge Guilherme Madeira Dezem of the 44th Civil Court ruled in October 2026 that Tomaz chose the risk, but barred Blaze from marketing to him.
Tomaz is separately under investigation by Brazil’s Federal Police (PF) over alleged money laundering through betting. He denies the allegation.
Willer Tomaz Blaze ruling
Dezem rejected the request for compensation, an asset freeze on the company and a request to keep the case under seal, according to O Antagonista’s report on the decision. The outlet puts the sum Tomaz sought at R$133.2m, plus R$500,000 in moral damages. Brazilian news site Metrópoles reported the losses he cites as R$163m.
The judge found that Tomaz was an active participant who pushed for higher stakes.
The plaintiff personally requested and obtained the creation of private and exclusive betting tables with exorbitant values (“Blaze VIP Blackjack”), requesting successive increases in operational limits to reach the astonishing figure of up to R$500,000 per bet.
Guilherme Madeira Dezem, Judge, 44th Civil Court of São Paulo, in his decision (translated from Portuguese)
Tomaz’s lawyers argued that he has a gambling disorder and that Blaze kept accepting large bets after being told of the diagnosis. Dezem did not accept that as grounds to place full liability on the platform and turned down the moral damages claim.
The displeasure, anguish, and emotional distress resulting from the loss of substantial amounts in electronic gambling constitute direct and immediate consequences of the intrinsic risk voluntarily assumed by the gambler when contracting a highly volatile, random activity.
Guilherme Madeira Dezem, Judge, 44th Civil Court of São Paulo, in his decision (translated from Portuguese)
The court did grant one request. Blaze must stop sending Tomaz advertising, promotions, bonuses and commercial contacts, with a R$1,000 fine for each proven breach, O Antagonista reported.
The two sides
In the filing, Tomaz’s lawyers said he deposited R$325m on Blaze between January 2025 and July 2026, and that he asked for his account to be permanently closed three times. Blaze argued in its defence that deposits are not a measure of loss, because the figure ignores withdrawals and other credits.
Blaze has faced other Brazilian court action this year. In July, a Federal District court restricted Blaze and influencer Virginia Fonseca’s betting ads. In May, another Brazilian court dismissed a gambling liability claim against Novibet.
Federal Police inquiry
The PF inquiry began in Rio Grande do Sul as a probe into alleged currency evasion and money laundering that also involved Blaze. It was later sent to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) after emails gathered in the inquiry reportedly referred to Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, a friend of Tomaz. Tomaz’s defence has said there is “no question of money laundering” and that the reported betting figures do not reflect reality.
Next steps
The decision is a first-instance ruling and can be appealed to the São Paulo State Court of Justice (TJSP). The PF inquiry continues under STF supervision. More coverage of Brazil’s courts and betting rules is on our LatAm news page.
Source: 44th Civil Court of São Paulo
