2026 World Cup Expected to See Record-Breaking $50 Billion in Betting

It is projected that approximately $50 billion (about 76 trillion KRW) will be wagered on global sports betting markets during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the largest scale in history.

On June 11 (KST), the BBC reported, citing a report from global investment bank Macquarie, that "an average of $500 million (964 billion KRW) will be bet per match during the World Cup, pushing the total betting volume beyond $50 billion."

This figure represents an increase of approximately 1.4 times compared to the $35 billion (53 trillion KRW) recorded during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Macquarie identified the expansion of participating countries from 32 to 48 and the increase in the number of matches from 64 to over 100 as the primary factors driving this growth.

Furthermore, the report noted that most matches will be held at times convenient for users in Europe, Latin America, and Africa, where online sports betting is highly active, further contributing to the rise in betting volume.

The growth of the U.S. sports betting market is also fueling these projections.

The BBC stated, "Currently, about 65% of the U.S. population lives in areas where sports betting is legal," adding that "this is a significant increase from the 40% level during the 2022 Qatar tournament."

This tournament is expected to be the first World Cup where more than half of the U.S. population can legally participate in sports betting.

On the other hand, concerns regarding gambling addiction are also growing.

Les Bernal, national director of the advocacy group Stop Predatory Gambling, urged, "Hundreds of thousands of people around the world, especially many young men, face serious financial hardship due to gambling every World Cup season." He added, "As gambling addiction is linked to a higher risk of suicide than any other addiction, politicians in each country must take steps toward stricter regulation."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.