Up to five million adults in Germany could place at least one sports bet during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a Civey survey commissioned by the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV).
The survey of around 5,000 adults found that 6.9% of respondents could imagine betting during the tournament. However, only 1.1% said they would be placing a sports bet for the first time, suggesting most potential World Cup bettors already have experience with sports wagering.
The figures emerge ahead of the first 48-team FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The expanded tournament format is expected to generate increased betting activity across regulated markets, with operators and regulators preparing for one of the largest betting events in the sport's history.
DSWV has advised consumers to place bets only with operators holding a German licence. The association pointed to the whitelist maintained by the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL), which identifies approved providers authorised to offer gambling products in Germany.
The survey also arrives as Germany continues to assess the effectiveness of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021, which established the country's current framework for online sports betting and other regulated online gambling products.
The legislation is due for formal evaluation, with industry groups, operators and policymakers debating whether current restrictions are achieving player protection objectives while maintaining sufficient channelisation into the legal market.
Channelisation has become a key issue for the sector. The GGL previously reported an online gambling channelisation rate of 77.03%, while industry stakeholders have argued that further improvements are needed to reduce the appeal of unlicensed operators.
Trade associations and licensed operators have repeatedly warned that overly restrictive measures risk pushing consumers towards offshore websites that fall outside German regulatory oversight.
For licensed sportsbooks, the World Cup is expected to provide an important test of the regulated market's ability to attract players during a major international sporting event.
The finding that only a small proportion of respondents would be first-time bettors suggests that much of the anticipated activity will come from existing sports betting customers rather than new market entrants.
In April, DSWV called for stronger dialogue between regulators, politicians and industry stakeholders following a parliamentary meeting in Bavaria that focused on the upcoming review of Germany's gambling legislation, black-market gambling and player protection measures.
Germany's regulated online gambling market has operated under the Interstate Treaty on Gambling since July 2021, with the GGL overseeing licensing and enforcement activities
