Court orders bet to return R$81,000 to businessman addicted to betting

The company appealed the first instance decision, but the appeal has not yet been judged.

The 38-year-old businessman told the court he suffered from gambling disorder, a mental disorder recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and characterized by the uncontrollable urge to place bets on games of chance.

In 2025, according to a study carried out by Comsefaz (National Committee of Finance Secretaries), Brazilian families lost R$62.5 billion to the betting sector. According to a Datafolha survey, 7% of voters aged 18 or over currently place bets at bets or online casinos.

In the action, the businessman stated that the compulsion to gamble manifested itself progressively.

In December last year, he formalized the so-called self-exclusion in the system launched by the federal government, which allows the blocking of all accounts on betting sites authorized by the Ministry of Finance.

Operators have up to 72 hours to perform the block.

The businessman said in the process that Sevenx Gaming did not block it, allowing him to maintain full access to the platform. Because of this, he stated that he made deposits of R$175 thousand and lost R$81 thousand.

"The amount would never have been lost if the defendant had adequately fulfilled its blocking obligation", lawyer Jonathas de Oliveira Cruz, who represents him, told the court. "The company's conduct heightened and aggravated the gambling disorder, exposing the plaintiff to harmful stimuli at a time of recognized psychological vulnerability."

Judge Vinicius Garcia Ferraz agreed with the argument.

"By allowing a formally self-excluded user to continue making deposits and large bets after the technical deadline, the defendant failed to comply with the security and responsible gaming duty imposed on it," he stated in the ruling.

According to the judge, the platform's omission worsened the consequences of the businessman's illness.

Sevenx Gaming told the court that the decision was illegal, as it would not have been cited properly, which prevented it from presenting a defense in the process.

The company also claimed, in the appeal, that it was not proven that all bets were placed after the regulatory deadline for implementing the blockade.

Folha de S.Paulo contacted the law firm that represents the company by email and telephone on Monday (10) and Tuesday (11), but did not receive a response until the publication of the report.

Brazilian families lost R$62.5 billion to bets in 2025, study shows

Study estimates that Brazilian families lost R$62.5 billion to betting in 2025. Platforms moved almost R$351 billion via Pix, and researchers point out a relevant impact on household income and debt