TLDR
- A São Paulo judge rejected lawyer Willer Tomaz’s R$163 million claim against betting platform Blaze over gambling losses.
- The judge ruled that Tomaz willingly took the risks, including private tables with bets of up to R$500,000.
- Tomaz’s lawyers said he deposited R$325 million and lost a net R$188.5 million between January 2025 and July 2026.
- Blaze said the deposit figures ignored withdrawals and credits made during the same period.
- Brazil’s Federal Police are separately investigating Tomaz for suspected money laundering through betting.
A São Paulo court has rejected a lawyer’s claim for compensation from the betting platform Blaze. Lawyer Willer Tomaz had sued over gambling losses, with the claim valued at about R$163 million.
Judge Guilherme Madeira Dezem, of the 44th Civil Court of São Paulo, ruled that the losses came from risks Tomaz chose to take. Tomaz is also under a separate investigation by Brazil’s Federal Police for suspected money laundering through betting.
Judge Says Tomaz Chose the Risks
In his decision, the judge said Tomaz was not a passive player. He found that the lawyer actively sought out large bets.
According to the ruling, Tomaz asked for and received private betting tables called “Blaze VIP Blackjack.” He also requested repeated increases to his limits until he could bet up to R$500,000 per hand.
The judge wrote that the distress from losing large sums was a direct result of the risk the gambler accepted. He described online gambling as a highly volatile and random activity.
The case drew public attention because of the size of the bets. It also stood out because Tomaz was trying to recover large gambling losses through the courts.
What the Defense Claimed
Tomaz’s lawyers said he deposited R$325 million on Blaze between January 2025 and July 2026. His bets added up to about R$6.6 billion in total turnover.
The defense reported net losses of R$188.5 million. They said the real figure could be higher because they did not have betting records from before 2025.
According to the filing, most losses came from online casino games with rounds lasting about 30 seconds. The defense also said Blaze paid Tomaz R$42.2 million in bonuses.
The lawyers questioned the platform’s payment rules. They said Blaze set lower per-transaction limits for withdrawals than for deposits.
On one night, Tomaz tried to withdraw R$1.9 million in 16 transactions over six minutes. The system then blocked further attempts, saying he had tried too many times in a row. By the end of the night, his account held R$0.29.
The defense said Blaze created a WhatsApp group in April 2023 offering “exclusive support to lawyers.” That was before Brazil legalized its sports betting market.
The filing also said Tomaz had reported a gambling addiction to the platform several times. He reportedly asked for his account to be permanently frozen three times.
Blaze denied that the deposits showed financial damage. The company said the figures ignored withdrawals and other credits made during the same period.
Blaze has been backed by Santos striker Neymar Jr. It previously worked with influencer Virgínia Fonseca.
Separately, Brazil’s Federal Police are investigating whether Tomaz laundered money through betting. The probe began in Rio Grande do Sul, where investigators were looking into alleged currency evasion and money laundering involving Blaze.
With court approval, authorities obtained Tomaz’s phone records. The case later moved to Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court after emails collected in the probe reportedly mentioned Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, whose cases fall under that court.
Tomaz’s defense denies any wrongdoing. “There is no question of money laundering,” the lawyers said, adding that all transactions took place in his own bank account in a transparent and traceable way.
The lawyers also said the amounts cited in the investigation “do not correspond to reality.” Those same figures had been presented in Tomaz’s own lawsuit against Blaze.
