Court condemns betting platform for failing to allow bettor to self-exclude.

A court in São Paulo has ordered Sevenx Gaming, operator of the Jogão.bet platform, to return R$ 81 to a 38-year-old businessman diagnosed with gambling addiction. The ruling also mandates the payment of R$ 10 in moral damages.

The decision was issued at the first instance and stems from a failure to comply with the federal government's self-exclusion mechanism. The businessman registered the blocking request in the system launched by the Ministry of Finance, which allows bettors to block access to all authorized platforms. Operators have up to 72 hours to implement the block.

Failure to contain the infection and worsening of the disease.

According to the businessman, Sevenx Gaming did not block his account within the deadline, maintaining his full access to the platform. During the period in which he should have been prevented from playing, he deposited R$ 175 and lost R$ 81.

Attorney Jonathas de Oliveira Cruz, representing the gambler, stated in the lawsuit that "the money would never have been lost if the defendant had properly fulfilled its obligation to block the funds." Cruz added that "the company's conduct exacerbated and aggravated the gambling addiction, exposing the plaintiff to harmful stimuli at a time of recognized psychological vulnerability."

Judge Vinicius Garcia Ferraz accepted the arguments. In his ruling, he stated that "by allowing a formally self-excluded user to continue making large deposits and bets after the technical deadline for implementation, the defendant failed to comply with its duty of security and responsible gaming." According to the judge, the platform's omission aggravated the consequences of the illness.

Gambling addiction is a mental disorder recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to gamble. The businessman stated to the court that the compulsion manifested itself progressively, leading him to formally request self-exclusion in December 2025.

Company resource

Sevenx Gaming has appealed the conviction, arguing that the decision is illegal because it was not properly notified in the proceedings, preventing it from presenting a defense. The company also maintains that it was not proven that all bets were placed after the regulatory deadline for implementing the block. The appeal has not yet been judged.

Folha de S.Paulo's reporting team contacted the law firm representing Sevenx Gaming by email and phone on Monday (August 10) and Tuesday (August 11), but received no response by the time of publication.

Case No. 4000778-26.2026.8.26.0248