Even before the biggest sporting event of the year, the wagers and bet slips are increasing in the UK, as bettors are spending more and betting more often in the country. Data from Nationwide Building Society is already showcasing the first signs of this uptrend, with payments and transactions for betting purposes trending higher at the beginning of 2026.
A survey conducted in February found that 68% of 2,000 participating UK players will increase their betting activity during the year. 59% of them admitted that they are awaiting the FIFA World Cup this summer, with the Champions League final, Royal Ascot, the Six Nations and the T20 World Cup the next calendar events to look out for.
What Did The Last World Cup Do To UK Betting?
A good comparison measure is the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar. Global betting on that event reached $35 billion, a 65% jump from the 2018 edition. In the UK, the betting participation rate in the four-week event reached 44% of adults at the time.
The UK Gambling Commission's 2024 data revealed that the above figure reached 49% by 2024. The industry’s gross betting yield reached £16.8 billion in the year to March 2025, representing a 7.3% increase year-on-year. The trend has been going upwards since then, and 2026 appears to be a new landmark for the industry.
Why Is The World Cup Such A Big Deal For Bookmakers?
Football is the king of sports and the king of the UK betting industry. This new edition of the World Cup, expanded to 48 teams and featuring a record 104 games over 39 days, is the biggest ever.
The national teams will compete across the USA, Mexico and Canada, which means more matches, more markets, more special bets and a longer betting window both for players and operators.
A recent University of Sheffield study found that during the 2022 tournament, the betting frequency was 16-24% higher than usual. On channels with betting ads, the bettors were 22-33% more likely to place a bet.
The same advertising rules apply today, meaning the sportsbooks expect to surpass Qatar's $35 billion total betting spend this summer.
Where Is The Money Actually Going?
However, it is estimated that not all money remains in the country, as around 12.5% of UK gamblers currently use offshore operators, with roughly £2.7 billion staked annually abroad. The Betting and Gaming Council reported that during this year’s Grand National festival, up to £100 million was wagered with offshore sportsbooks.
