Guidance
Beyond the Bet: Gambling, Engagement and Informed Choice at the 2026 World Cup
The Gambling Commission's research on Gambling, Engagement and Informed Choice at the 2026 World Cup
Executive summary
This research shows how consumers made betting decisions during the 2026 World Cup. Yonder Consulting surveyed 834 UK adults who had bet on the tournament. The findings add to the evidence base on how gambling fits into different lives and how well consumers understand odds and offers.
Major tournaments draw in a wider mix of bettors
Overall, World Cup bettors were more likely to be male (71% versus 29%), with around 2 in 5 (43%) between the ages of 35 to 54, 31% aged 55 or over, and 26% aged 18 to 34. This is a higher share of women, and an older profile, than is seen among those who bet on football in the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
The majority had bet on football before, but there were also some first timers
Research identified 3 groups of bettors who bet on the World Cup: those who were betting on football for the first time (new football bettors), those who only bet on football during major tournaments (occasional football bettors), and those who bet on regular season football such as the Champions League and the Premier League (existing football bettors).
Existing football bettors were the most common World Cup bettor (56%), predominantly male (80%) and aged 35 to 54 (44%). They were more likely to be older than other bettor types (33% aged 55 and older).
Occasional bettors represented 35% of World Cup bettors, most of which were male (64%) and 35 to 54 (44%). These bettors were equally likely to be 18 to 34 or 55 and older (28% each).
While New football bettors were mostly female (68%) and more likely to be younger, with 40% aged 18 to 34.
New bettors were the least likely to feel informed
Overall, World Cup bettors were most confident regarding their understanding of odds, bet builders and wagering requirements attached to welcome bonuses, whilst respondents were less sure about ‘acca insurance’ (accumulator insurance) with 50% selecting “Don't know” when asked whether ‘acca insurance’ means that they get the full stake back in cash if one leg of their accumulator loses. This may indicate limited understanding of ‘acca insurance’ terms and conditions.
Those betting on football for the first time were the least likely to feel they had all the information they needed (60%, compared with 83% of occasional and 91% of existing football bettors) and least confident about offers, with 80% answering “Don’t know” on ‘acca insurance’. New football bettors were also the group most likely to report not using any information to decide which bets to place (29%). With that said, new football bettors make up a small group in this survey (n=70), so findings for this group should be interpreted with caution.
Free bets were the most popular promotion, and bettors focused on fun and their chances of winning
Free bets (37%), enhanced odds or price boosts (22%), and free bonus offers (19%), were the most popular promotions and offers used by respondents during the 2026 World Cup. Respondents most often reported betting for fun and/or entertainment (44%) or to win money (33%).
Around 1 in 3 (35%) of World Cup bettors who placed a bet attached to an offer said they did not seek or search for more information before placing a bet. The remaining respondents were most likely to look for information related to the odds (34%) or how much they could win (29%).
Betting decisions varied with experience and bettor type
New football bettors were much more likely to report betting because they wanted to try something new, and like occasional bettors, were more likely than existing bettors to report betting because friends, family or colleagues were also betting. Occasional bettors were also more likely to report betting because the 2026 World Cup was a special event.
Existing football bettors were more likely than other groups to say that their own knowledge or instinct, or the odds and/or price helped them decide which bets to place. New football bettors, on the other hand were noticeably more likely to decide which bets to place based on advice from family or friends. New football bettors were also the group most likely to report not using any information to inform their betting. This suggests that, within this sample, newer bettors were less informed when betting on the World Cup, and potentially subject to increased levels of risk given their football betting history.
Most World Cup bettors trust their own judgement
Overall, 58% of bettors reported using their own knowledge or instinct to help them decide which bets to place, much more than the next most selected option which was the odds or price shown (21%).
Likewise, when asked why they decided to place bets on the World Cup, 15% thought they could use their football knowledge to win, and 13% felt they had good knowledge of the teams or players. This suggests some World Cup bettors were confident enough in their knowledge of the game, teams and players to make betting decisions independently.
Whereas some younger bettors reported using artificial intelligence (AI) to help them decide which bets to place. Use of AI was reported by 7% of all World Cup bettors, rising to 12% among those aged 18 to 34, compared to 6% aged 35 to 54, and just 3.5% of those over the age of 55.
England's progress influenced betting behaviour
Betting participation peaked for new bettors in the semi-finals (59%), and for occasional bettors in the group stage and semi-finals (75% each), whilst existing bettors reported their highest participation rates during the group stages (86%). All 3 groups showed reduced engagement for the final (Spain versus Argentina) and third placed play-off (England versus France), after England could no longer win the tournament.
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2026 World Cup - Introduction
Last updated: 10 November 2026
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