The online sports betting industry is facing a period of increased attention in Brazil. The CPI (Parliamentary Inquiry Committee) on Sports Betting, established in the Senate, has regained prominence following the testimony of influencer Virginia Fonseca, who has a substantial social media presence with over 53 million followers and maintains contracts with companies in the sector. According to a survey by Escavador, a legaltech specialized in organizing public legal data, 6,575 lawsuits related to sports betting were recorded in Brazil between 2023 and 2025.
The cases range from claims for moral and material damages to accusations of abusive practices, revealing a concerning scenario in an industry that moves billions of reais and is driven by digital influencers, athletes, and aggressive advertising campaigns. Even with the legalization of betting in 2023, the numbers show that litigation in the sector is growing rapidly. Some of the main platforms operating in Brazil have accumulated hundreds of lawsuits, such as Bet365 Loterias do Brasil, with 326 cases as defendant, and Betano (Kaizen Gaming Brasil Ltda), with 172 records, mostly related to moral damages, financial losses, and consumer rights violations.
The data analyzed by Escavador is public and excludes cases under judicial secrecy. According to the platform, there is a growing number of lawsuits holding digital influencers accountable for alleged complicity in harmful consumer practices. A notable example involves influencer Virginia Fonseca, who, in addition to being heard by the CPI on Sports Betting, is one of the defendants in a lawsuit filed by an individual. The lawsuit also includes several betting houses and influencer Deolane Bezerra. The plaintiff seeks restitution of R$ 322,750.00 plus R$ 800,000.00 for moral damages, totaling R$ 1,122,750.00.
Given this context, Dalila Pinheiro, legal analyst and DPO at Escavador, assesses: ‘Today, one of the main risks for betting platforms is no longer illegality but how addiction is promoted under the guise of entertainment. Many young people end up caught in a cycle of compulsiveness and debt, believing they are investing when, in reality, they are merely gambling.’ According to ANBIMA data, over 4 million Brazilians believe that sports betting is a form of investment.’
