The Business of Football Betting During World Cup Season

An AI generated image of a person holding a phone showing a fictious betting site, a world cup trophy and a football pitch for illustration purposes. PHOTO/ File

The FIFA World Cup has gone beyond being the biggest football event in the world and has become a major economic affair that generates billions of dollars in revenue for various businesses.

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the FIFA World Cup is sports betting.

Every four years, millions of people participate in sports betting to earn money, making it a very lucrative industry for many firms.

This year, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to become the biggest sports betting event ever recorded, where global bets will be more than $50 billion(approximately Ksh 6.48 trillion), according to predictions from industry experts.

This is quite an increase compared to last year, when bets placed on the World Cup games in Qatar reached approximately $35 billion (approximately Ksh 4.53 trillion).

The amount of money wagered on each game during the expanded World Cup could reach about $500 million (approximately Ksh 64 billion).

With the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 teams and featuring more than 100 matches over six weeks, it is set to generate a record number of betting activities.

The business strategy behind World Cup betting hinges on bookmakers’ ability to attract millions of new bettors drawn by the excitement surrounding the tournament.

Betting companies view the World Cup as a prime opportunity to acquire customers who they hope will continue placing bets not only on World Cup matches but also on domestic leagues.

Betting Expansion and Economic Effect

Not only is there an economic effect for bookies, but betting is also good for tech companies, online payment services, advertisers, and online entertainment sites due to higher amounts of traffic when there is a large-scale competition in football betting.

Also Read: How Much Kenyan Households Spend Watching the World Cup

Some of the countries where the largest expansion in terms of betting occurs are those emerging markets located in Africa and Latin America.

Thanks to smartphone availability, mobile payment options, and online betting websites, betting has become widespread enough to be considered a form of entertainment within digital entertainment sites.

Nonetheless, although there are very high profits from this kind of gambling, there is a fear about who earns from this because the majority of gamblers actually do not win but rather lose money.

The social consequences of football betting have become an issue, especially due to the increase in advertising while watching matches, on social networks, and by footballers.

Repeated exposure to such advertisements can turn betting into a normal activity for viewing football games, especially in youth.

Advertising campaigns and the continuous marketing of betting services can affect gambling frequency and spending.

Emotional connection with the team being viewed and the match during major football competitions can be another factor influencing gambling behavior.

Addiction, Fraud and Regulatory Issues

Gambling awareness groups have expressed worries about the exposure of individuals to unhealthy gambling practices due to the World Cup.

Also Read: Where to Watch World Cup Matches in Nairobi

The euphoria that surrounds the event tends to mask the dangers of excessive gambling, which include debt, family problems, and psychological issues.

The expansion of the betting market has increased the likelihood of illegal and fraudulent activities due to the large number of transactions during international sporting events.

Criminals exploit online betting services through various fraudulent schemes, including identity theft, fake accounts, hacking, and fraudulent payments.

Fraudsters also take advantage of the excitement surrounding major football matches by sending deceptive messages about betting deals, account verification processes, and promotional offers.

In addition, the large financial flows associated with World Cup betting have raised concerns about money laundering and match-fixing.

The authorities in various states reacted to that trend by implementing more responsible gambling policies and requiring more consumer protection measures.

Operators started applying such measures as deposit caps, self-exclusion programs and fraud detection mechanisms.

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