GamCare Stresses World Cup Concerns With Online Gambling Issues Rising

GamCare has expressed concern about the impact on betting in the UK that could be caused by the upcoming FIFA men’s World Cup, with online gambling issues for players reaching their highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the charity, four in five respondents (82%) have mentioned having trouble with online gambling specifically when contacting the National Gambling Helpline, which is operated by GamCare. This is the highest the rate has been since 2021, while lockdown restrictions were still in place.

Longest ever World Cup

This year’s FIFA men’s World Cup will provide more betting opportunities than any previous World Cup finals, with a record 104 matches taking place between Thursday, 11 June and Sunday, 19 July. This is due to the expansion from 32 teams qualifying for the tournament to 48.

In the UK specifically, betting volumes could be influenced by the progress of England and Scotland; England will be expected to reach the latter stages of the tournament. The tournament will be hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico, with a majority of matches taking place at evening/late night times for the UK audience.

GamCare previously reported an 11% month-on-month increase in calls and online messages from people who said they were struggling with gambling after the men’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

However, it may be difficult to provide a like-for-like comparison after the upcoming World Cup, as the previous one was held in November/December due to climate issues, with the domestic season resuming almost immediately after.

Victoria Corbishley, GamCare CEO, said:

“We typically see more requests for help and support during major sporting tournaments, and the World Cup could be particularly problematic for those struggling with online gambling.

“Many people who come to our services began by betting on sports before developing patterns of gambling that became harmful, and the data shows young adults could be particularly vulnerable this summer.”

World Cup vulnerability

GamCare recently commissioned YouGov to produce a survey which found young adults could be particularly vulnerable during the World Cup. One in three (32%) of 3,700 UK adult respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 who have previously placed a bet on the World Cup or UEFA European Championship said they find it difficult to avoid gambling during major international tournaments.

There was also evidence to suggest this impacted gambling activity following tournaments. From those aged 18-34 who had bet on sports tournaments before, 30% said they continued to gamble afterwards on higher-risk forms of gambling, such as online casino games.

Impact on young bettors

Research published recently by Nationwide Building Society found a vast majority of gamblers aged 18-24 expect to gamble more frequently due to major sporting events such as the World Cup. A total of 83% of bettors in the 18-24 cohort would be likely to bet more often when a major sporting event is being held in 2026, which is more than double the rate of players aged over 55 (37%). The data was based on a poll of 2,000 gamblers in the UK.

Close to one in five (18%) players aged 18-24 said addiction was a reason they gamble, which was about nine times higher than the rate among over-55s (2%). One in four (25%) of the 18-24 bracket said they gamble to earn more money which can pay essential bills, while just 7% of gamblers over the age of 55 said this applied to them.