Belgium wagers millions online during the World Cup: figures reveal a striking shift 

Players in Belgium placed €402.9 million in online sports bets during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Of that amount, €224 million was wagered directly on World Cup matches. Behind these figures lies a striking difference: average daily online wagering increased, while physical betting shops and newsagents processed fewer bets. At the same time, the average amount wagered per online bet declined. 

The Belgian Gaming Commission examined the period from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Its report goes beyond the amounts wagered by players. It also covers the number of bets, activity among online gambling operators, and checks on bonuses and advertising. 

Several figures require careful interpretation. Total online wagering, for example, does not represent the amount players lost. New accounts are also not the same as new players. Furthermore, the player activity figures cover a broader range of gambling products than sports betting alone. 

Average daily online wagering rises to €10.33 million 

During the World Cup period examined, €402.9 million was wagered online on sports in Belgium. This represents an average of €10.33 million per day. During Euro 2024, the average daily wagering amount was €8.60 million. 

Based on these rounded daily averages, online wagering during the World Cup was approximately 20% higher. This shows an increase even after accounting for the tournament’s longer duration. 

That adjustment is important. The 2026 World Cup featured 104 matches, compared with 64 at the 2022 World Cup and 51 at Euro 2024. More matches mean more opportunities to place bets. The World Cup period examined was also longer than the European Championship period. 

Comparing total wagering amounts alone can therefore give a misleading impression. Daily averages make the tournaments more comparable, although they do not eliminate every difference. The number of matches played each day and the appeal of specific fixtures can also have an impact. 

The tournament’s expansion had already been discussed in previous reporting on sports betting risks and match integrity during the 2026 World Cup. The larger number of matches provides relevant context, but the wagering figures themselves do not prove anything about potential match manipulation. 

55.6% of all online sports wagers went to the World Cup 

Of the €402.9 million wagered on sports online, €224 million was directly related to World Cup matches. The tournament therefore accounted for 55.6% of online sports wagering during the period examined. 

The remaining €178.9 million was wagered on other sporting events. The total of almost €403 million should therefore not be presented entirely as money wagered on the World Cup. 

This distinction changes how the figures should be interpreted. The research shows how much was wagered online on sports during the World Cup and what proportion went specifically to the tournament. The World Cup accounted for more than half, while other competitions and sports still represented a substantial amount. 

The terminology used for operators also deserves attention. These figures concern online sports betting with licensed operators. This activity must be distinguished from casino games, even when the public associates a particular brand with several types of gambling. 

Nearly €403 million in wagers does not mean equivalent player losses 

Total wagering shows how much money was staked through bets. It does not reveal how much players collectively lost or how much new money they deposited. 

A player can place a bet, receive a payout and use part of that money to bet again. The same money can therefore be counted several times in the total wagering amount. 

For all online sports betting during the period examined, gross gaming revenue (GGR) amounted to €49.7 million. For bets specifically related to World Cup matches, it reached €33.2 million. 

Gross gaming revenue is generally the difference between wagers and payouts. It is not an operator’s net profit either, as costs and taxes must be considered separately. 

Based on the figures provided, gross gaming revenue represented approximately 12.3% of total online sports wagering. For World Cup bets alone, the figure was approximately 14.8%. These ratios relate to this specific period and do not represent a fixed loss percentage applicable to every player or future bet. 

More than 30 million online bets, with less money wagered per ticket 

The number of online bets placed during the World Cup exceeded 30.1 million. During Euro 2024, the figure was 12.7 million, while approximately 13.9 million bets were recorded during the 2022 World Cup. 

The number of registered bets therefore increased sharply. However, the longer tournament duration and greater number of matches must also be taken into account when making this comparison. 

At the same time, the average stake per bet declined. During Euro 2024, it stood at €20.93, compared with €13.38 during the 2026 World Cup. This represents a decrease of approximately 36%. 

Over the full study period, significantly more online bets were therefore recorded, while the average amount wagered per ticket was lower. These two developments can occur simultaneously. 

A smaller amount per ticket also does not automatically mean that a player spends less over the entire period. The number of bets placed and how many of them are lost also matter. The average stake per bet cannot reveal the financial circumstances of individual players. 

Betting shops and newsagents see wagering decline 

At physical betting locations, the market moved in the opposite direction. Betting shops and newsagents processed a combined €39.7 million in wagers during the period examined. Of that amount, €19.4 million was related to World Cup matches. 

Average daily wagering amounted to approximately €1.02 million. According to the figures provided, this was 45.6% lower than during Euro 2024. 

The contrast with online betting is substantial. While average daily online sports wagering increased, physical outlets processed considerably less money per day. 

However, these figures do not prove that every wager lost by physical outlets moved directly to an online operator. Establishing that would require research into the behaviour of the same players. The figures do show that the two distribution channels developed very differently during the tournaments compared. 

Gross gaming revenue at physical betting outlets amounted to €8.5 million. Here too, this amount must be distinguished from both total wagering and the eventual net profit of the businesses involved. 

More daily gambling activity during the tournament 

During the World Cup, an average of 243,701 players were active with online gambling operators each day. In the ten days before the tournament, the average was 191,872. Activity therefore increased by approximately 27%. 

The daily average was also higher than during previous major football tournaments. During Euro 2024, an average of 196,952 players were active each day. During the 2022 World Cup, the figure was 219,971. 

However, these figures cover the broader online gambling services offered by Belgian licence holders. In addition to sports betting, they include casino games and other types of betting. 

It would therefore be incorrect to claim that 243,701 people bet on World Cup matches every day. Nor can the entire increase be attributed to the football tournament without additional research. 

The comparison with the preceding ten days shows a clear increase during the World Cup period. On its own, however, it does not fully explain which games generated the additional activity or how long players remained active. 

New players and new accounts tell different stories 

The Belgian Gaming Commission recorded an average of 822 new online players per day during the World Cup. This was 67.4% more than in the ten days preceding the tournament. 

Compared with earlier football tournaments, however, the daily number of new players was lower. During Euro 2024, an average of 1,031 new players were registered each day. During the 2022 World Cup, the figure was 1,487. 

The market therefore experienced an increase during the 2026 World Cup compared with the short period immediately beforehand, but attracted fewer new players per day than during the two previous major tournaments. 

Across the entire World Cup period, 32,050 new online players were registered. In addition, 142,859 new accounts were created. The latter figure exceeded the 108,029 accounts created during Euro 2024 and the 114,858 recorded during the 2022 World Cup. 

The difference arises because one player can hold accounts with several operators. An existing player who registers with another operator creates a new account without necessarily becoming a new player on the Belgian market. 

These registration figures also cover the broader online gambling market. They therefore cannot be directly interpreted as numbers of new sports bettors or World Cup bettors. 

Inspections reveal problems with bonuses and advertising 

In addition to examining market activity, the Belgian Gaming Commission’s inspection service reviewed 22 bonus promotions and 18 advertisements from licensed operators during the World Cup. 

The regulator found that 17 bonus promotions and 14 advertisements did not comply with the rules. These findings concern the promotions and advertisements examined; the sample cannot be used to calculate a violation rate for the entire Belgian market. 

Following warnings, 15 bonus promotions were modified. Two bonus cases were referred to the Commission for possible sanctions. For the advertisements, nine cases were corrected and four were referred for further action. 

For one of the 14 problematic advertisements, the summary provided does not specify a separate outcome. Furthermore, referral for possible sanctions does not mean that a final penalty has already been imposed. 

The findings are consistent with earlier reporting on World Cup promotions that the Gaming Commission considered to exceed legal limits. That coverage focused, among other things, on the assessment of promotional benefits. 

The broader social context extends beyond whether an individual campaign complies with the rules. In its advisory report on gambling advertising, Belgium’s Superior Health Council advocates stronger warnings and identifies a complete advertising ban as the most effective measure for reducing addiction risks associated with advertising. This is a public health recommendation, not a separate finding concerning the World Cup campaigns examined. 

Meta removes 733 reported advertisements promoting illegal gambling 

During the World Cup, the regulator also examined 733 advertisements promoting illegal gambling services on Meta’s platforms. All the advertisements examined were reported and removed. According to the Belgian Gaming Commission, removal usually took between one and five days. 

These removals show how many advertisements were identified during the inspections. They do not provide a complete picture of all the illegal gambling advertisements Belgian users encountered during the tournament. 

The regulator itself notes that the advertisements examined probably represented only part of the illegal advertising activity. Removing an advertisement also does not automatically mean that the gambling website behind it disappears. 

Gambling Club previously explained how illegal gambling advertisements on Facebook and Instagram misuse well-known casino brands. A familiar name or recognisable logo therefore offers no guarantee about the website to which an advertisement ultimately leads. 

Player protection requires more than examining wagering amounts 

The World Cup financial figures describe the scale of registered activity among licensed operators. Assessing potential gambling-related harm requires additional data, such as information about individual losses, gambling behaviour and exclusions. 

It is also important to use the correct units when examining protective measures. For example, Gambling Club explained in a separate article about access attempts blocked through EPIS that multiple blocked attempts can involve the same person. Access attempts are therefore not the same as unique players. 

The World Cup figures require similar care. A lower average stake per bet reveals nothing about how losses are distributed among players. A higher number of accounts does not indicate how many people started gambling for the first time. And the amounts recorded by licensed operators do not provide a complete picture of wagering with illegal operators. 

The figures provided do not reveal how large that illegal market was during the World Cup. The 733 removed advertisements show that illegal gambling services had a visible presence, but they provide no reliable basis for estimating the amount wagered through those services.