Online betting searches in Argentina surged by as much as 6,200% during the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.
The figures come from a report released by the Observatory of Addictions and Problematic Consumption of the Buenos Aires Provincial Ombudsman's Office.
The study, based on an analysis of Google Trends data, found gambling-related search queries grew by 350% during the same period.
Researchers identified hydration breaks during matches as points when betting advertising and promotion of in-play wagering intensified, describing the dynamic as part of an "attention economy" in which platforms target moments of heightened emotional tension to draw in users.
Researchers used what they called an "error index" tracking misspelled brand searches to detect users without prior betting experience. During Argentina's matches, searches for terms including "betplay," "betno" and "betqno" rose sharply, which the report said reflected impulsive decisions by users unfamiliar with the digital betting market.
The report also warned such typos could direct users toward fraudulent or unlicensed sites.
After Argentina's loss in the final, interest in sports betting fell quickly, while searches for online casinos continued rising in the following hours, a pattern the report described as a possible shift toward other forms of gambling.
Searches for "games that pay the most" rose 350%, which researchers said may indicate some users increasingly view betting as a source of income rather than entertainment.
The report also noted that a bill previously approved by the Chamber of Deputies, which would have tightened advertising and access controls for minors, has not advanced in the Senate.
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Argentinian Football Association partnered with BetWarrior and Betano, among others
