Flávio Bolsonaro faces R$6.3bn gambling laundering claim

Lawyer Willer Tomaz says the R$6.3bn figure is turnover, not deposits, which he puts at R$326m.

The hit

Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro is accused of involvement in a money laundering scheme tied to online gambling businesses, according to investigative magazine piauí & Folha de S.Paulo. Polícia Federal is examining his relationship with lawyer Willer Tomaz, alleged to have moved millions of reais through gambling platforms including Blaze. Investigators also want to question Bolsonaro over an alleged concealed indirect stake in gambling platform Best Bet. No charges have been filed against Tomaz, & both men deny the allegations.

Why it matters

The timing could not be worse for Bolsonaro, the marginal favourite in the run-off against Lula. Lula has already used the scandal to defend his provisional measure shutting down Brazil’s Bets regime. For bettors & operators, the vote will decide much of the Bets regime’s fate, though Congress still must rule on the wider gambling ban.

The record

Alleged turnover via Tomaz	R$6.3bn / ~€1bn, 2025-2026 (piauí, Folha de S.Paulo)
Tomaz’s stated deposits	R$326m / ~€57m (Tomaz’s own account)
Tomaz’s stated withdrawals	R$234m / ~€41m (Tomaz’s own account)
Lula’s gambling shutdown measure	issued 25 September, sanctioned 6 October 2026
Brazil presidential run-off	Sunday 25 October 2026

What happens next

Watch whether the electoral court forces disclosure of Alcazar Holdings’ records, & whether the Supreme Federal Court takes up the case given Bolsonaro’s senatorial jurisdiction rights.

Sources: Gambling scandal mires top presidential candidate in Brazil

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