World Cup TV betting ads ‘boosted gambling by up to 24%’, study finds
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have found that television advertisements significantly influenced betting activity during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The study, which analysed betting behaviour among men in England aged 18-45 while monitoring live World Cup coverage, discovered that the frequency of football betting was 16-24 percent higher during the tournament.
Respondents were also 22-33% more likely to wager during games broadcast on TV channels which carry gambling advertising.
Study author calls for tighter advertising regulations
Football betting is the most popular form of gambling in England, with almost half of active bettors wagering on the sport. Horse racing is next on the list.
Ellen McGrane, a research associate at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, co-authored the study.
She said: “These television adverts may be acting as powerful triggers during live games, encouraging betting even among people who had no prior intention to gamble.
“One of our key findings was that this advertising doesn’t simply shift people between betting platforms – it increases the overall amount of gambling taking place.
“A substantial body of evidence shows that when gambling participation rises at a population level, gambling-related harm also increases, suggesting that the current restrictions in place may not be effective enough.
“Despite the scale of this issue, advertising rules are not being strengthened. Tighter regulation of gambling advertising during live sport may be needed, particularly ahead of highly televised events such as the World Cup, to better protect those most at risk.”
The 2022 World Cup set betting and viewing records
A pre-2022 World Cup feature on Bloomberg estimated that betting on the 2022 World Cup would rise to $35 billion.
The impact was felt globally. The 2022 World Cup final, at $100 million, was the second-most bet-upon sporting fixture in the United States behind the Super Bowl.
Research from OpenBet saw over 12 million bets placed on USMNT during the tournament, while the final saw 7.9 million betting transactions – comfortably ahead of the NBA Finals but still miles behind the SuperBowl, which saw 23.5 million transactions.
The game, in which Argentina defeated France to become the 2022 World Cup champions, was estimated to have been watched by more than 1.5 billion people, representing 20% of the global population.
Self-regulation fails to deliver the desired results
A 2019 agreement by gambling companies for a self-regulated ‘whistle-to-whistle ban’ on gambling advertisements has failed to deliver the desired results.
A recent study by the University of Bristol revealed that there were 5,262 instances of gambling advertising during Manchester City’s fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers last August.
Just 9% of that figure was generated pre-match and post-match coverage, highlighting that gambling companies were not adhering to the previous promises they made.
In the opening round of games of the 2025/26 Premier League season, there were 13,200 gambling messages in the UK during the ‘whistle-to-whistle ban’ period.
There were 27,440 betting advertisements recorded across the entire opening weekend, which anti-gambling campaigners argue is hugely excessive.
The government has claimed it ‘recognises that more work needs to be done’ to limit gambling advertisements across the UK.
Researcher urges government to act quickly
The University of Bristol’s study found 2,412 advertising messages for 13 gambling companies that were not licensed to operate in the UK.
Several Premier League clubs have betting sponsors who do not operate in the UK, yet their adverts are clearly visible to viewers there.
The clubs will argue that they are well within their rights to link up with sponsors based in other jurisdictions, given the Premier League’s global popularity.
However, the University of Bristol’s Dr Raffaello Rossi has urged the government to tackle the advertising issue rather than leave gambling companies to self-regulate.
“Year on year, the problem seems to get worse, despite the industry’s promises of better self-regulation,” he said.
“While the overall numbers remained extremely high, we found a huge rise in cases where rules are either breached or simply don’t work.
“The Premier League is now so saturated with gambling marketing that brands are fighting each other for every inch of advertising space.
“The evidence is now overwhelming – self-regulation has failed. Voluntary codes are protecting profits, not fans.”
BGC says gambling advertising is declining
While the study raises valid concerns, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) claims that overall gambling advertising spend by licensed operators is declining.
The BGC said advertising had declined in the past five years, and millions of adults who ‘enjoy a flutter during major sporting events’ do so safely and with strong protections.
“Bookmakers already face some of the toughest advertising rules anywhere and voluntarily introduced the whistle-to-whistle ban, which has cut the number of television betting adverts seen by children during live sport by 97 percent at that time,” a spokesperson said.
“The real danger comes from harmful illegal gambling sites, which flood the internet with ads, carry out no age checks and offer no protections.”
Public health experts argue the BGC’s position is flawed, with gambling advertising more heavily focused on targeting viewers during live events.
Recent reviews of the United Kingdom’s gambling laws have addressed issues such as gambling taxation, prevention, research, treatment and limits on stakes.
However, no changes have been made to gambling advertising regulations. This flies in the face of developments in other European countries.
Several governments on the continent have introduced policies which restrict betting advertisements during live sports events.
While those nations have recognised the need to limit gambling advertisements, the UK has yet to address the situation.