Can a World Cup prize at work lead to a lawsuit? See limits with colleagues

The 2026 World Cup moves offices and corporate environments across the country. Among the most common activities is the famous jackpot, where colleagues bet on each other on the games and on the tournament champion.

Although it is seen as a moment of relaxation, competition can generate internal conflicts and even legal consequences when there are no clear rules and respect for everyone's voluntary participation.

According to Bárbara Rosa, professor of the Law course at UniSociesc, although there is no specific legislation on corporate pools, companies are still obliged to guarantee a healthy, respectful and constraint-free work environment.

"The pool can generate legal problems when it results in discrimination, unequal treatment between employees, conflicts related to the collection of amounts or pressure to participate. Situations such as offensive jokes, public exposure of those who do not wish to participate or financial demands can constitute a violation of the worker's personality rights", he explains.

The expert highlights that the company's responsibility varies depending on its involvement in the activity. When the pool is organized exclusively between colleagues, without the organization's participation, the risks for the employer tend to be lower. However, the company may be held liable if it is aware of abusive practices and fails to take action.

When the company itself organizes, publicizes, raises funds or offers awards, the level of responsibility increases. "In these cases, the company must guarantee transparency, equal treatment and voluntary participation. After all, it undertakes the conduct of the activity and must ensure that it occurs appropriately", he states.

Participation must be optional
One of the main precautions, according to the teacher, is to make it clear that no one is forced to participate in the pool. Membership must be completely optional, without any impact on the professional relationship.

"The decision to participate or not cannot have consequences for the worker. It is also recommended to avoid public lists of participants, collective demands or jokes that expose those who choose not to join", he advises.

The expert also warns about the role of managers. Leaders and supervisors should not excessively encourage participation or create situations that could be interpreted as pressure, especially when they involve financial contributions.

Money and prizes require transparency
According to the teacher, when money is collected and prizes are distributed, the rules must be defined in advance and disclosed to all participants. It is important to clarify who will be responsible for managing the values, how the results will be determined and how the accounts will be rendered.

Another point of attention involves the prizes offered by the company itself. Depending on how they are granted, they can generate labor disputes.

"To avoid risks, the award must be recreational and occasional in nature, without any link to productivity, goals or professional performance. It cannot function as a replacement for labor funds", he explains.

For the pool to fulfill its role of promoting integration between teams, the guidance is simple: clear rules, voluntary participation, respect for differences and care so that the activity does not interfere with the work routine.

"The best strategy is to treat the pool as a recreational activity, guided by inclusion, transparency and respect. The objective should be to strengthen the organizational environment, and not create situations of exclusion or embarrassment", concludes the expert.

Source: CNN