World Cup Drew New Bettors but Exposed an Information Gap

The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought many new and occasional customers into the betting market. According to research published by the UK Gambling Commission, however, many new bettors struggled to understand betting products and promotions.

Yonder Consulting spoke after the tournament with 834 British adults who had placed at least one bet on the World Cup. After contradictory answers were removed, 70 new, 296 occasional and 468 regular football bettors remained. The Commission asked that the results for first-time bettors be interpreted cautiously because of the small sample size.

Of those placing football bets for the first time, 60 percent, meaning six in ten, said they had all the information they needed to place a bet. The figure was 83 percent among occasional bettors and 91 percent among regular football bettors. The Commission is questioning whether betting information is presented clearly enough to less experienced customers.

The greatest uncertainty was around promotions. Asked whether their stake would be returned in cash if one selection lost in an accumulator, 80 percent of new bettors said they did not know. Of those surveyed, 37 percent had used free bets, 22 percent enhanced odds and 19 percent a bonus offer. However, 35 percent of those who bet on promotions did not look for additional information before betting.

Some 58 percent of respondents said they mostly based their decisions on their own knowledge and instinct. Among first-time bettors, 29 percent admitted they had placed a bet on impulse without checking any information. Entertainment was the most common reason for betting during the tournament, cited by 44 percent of respondents.