Blaze, one of Brazil’s most visible online betting platforms, is under fire after a complaint from child advocacy group Instituto Alana. The organization has flagged the company for allegedly breaching national child protection laws by sponsoring videos targeted at young audiences on YouTube. The complaint has been formally filed with the Secretary of Prizes and Betting under the Ministry of Finance.
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Good to know

• Blaze ads appeared in 33 influencer videos between March and July, often targeting kids and teens.
• Some ads ran up to seven minutes and were embedded in skits featuring minors.
• Instituto Alana is calling for a full investigation and possible penalties.

Instituto Alana says it reviewed dozens of videos on a YouTube channel with over 14 million followers, primarily focused on children’s content. Their findings revealed that Blaze-sponsored content often blended seamlessly into everyday scenes, jokes, or playful narratives — many of which featured or directly appealed to minors. In some clips, Blaze promotions weren’t clearly marked as ads and ran mid-video, potentially blurring the line between entertainment and advertising.

Blaze Faces Child Protection Complaint Over YouTube Ads in Brazil

The concern goes beyond regulatory marketing rules. Instituto Alana also highlighted signs of possible child labor violations, pointing out that minors appeared in some content promoting Blaze. That, according to the group, raises questions about whether children were being used to indirectly push gambling-related material — something prohibited under Brazil’s Child and Adolescent Statute.

Blaze has not yet issued a public response to the complaint. However, the case marks another complication for gambling operators in Brazil as the government continues tightening its regulatory oversight of the betting market.

Instituto Alana has asked the Secretary of Prizes and Betting to launch a formal investigation and apply sanctions if violations are confirmed. The organization emphasized the importance of keeping gambling promotions away from child-facing platforms and stressed that embedding ads in this way risks normalizing gambling to underage viewers.

Earlier this week, we reported on a separate case involving Brazilian influencer Tainá Sousa arrested for alleged links to an illegal betting ring and making death threats — another reminder of the regulatory challenges Brazil’s betting market continues to face.