The Observatory for Addiction Issues in Buenos Aires Province published a study by Walter Martello on July 23, highlighting a staggering 6,200% increase in online betting interest in Argentina during the 2026 World Cup final.
This research is based on Google Trends data, which measures interest on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating peak interest. Key findings from the report include:
- Surge in Betting Searches During Argentina's Matches:
- 6,200% increase during the final against Spain (peak of the tournament)
- 4,850% increase during the match against England
- 3,600% increase against Egypt
- 2,250% increase against Cape Verde
- 600% increase against Algeria
- 2,100% increase in comparative team statistics for live betting justification
- Engagement of New Players: The error index showed a rise in searches with typos in operator names (betplay 4,000%, betno 2,800%, betqno 110%), indicating first-time bettors.
- Shift in Interest to Online Casinos Post-Final: There was a 350% increase in searches for high payout games. On July 19, sports betting searches dropped to zero, while interest in online casinos surged from 14 to 52 points within hours, peaking at 76 points overnight.
According to Martello, brands capitalized on breaks during the matches to launch advertisements and increase live betting. The tournament itself became a tool for engagement. He links the surge in interest to the Senate's inaction on a bill against gambling addiction, which proposed a ban on gambling ads during prime time, biometric access control for minors, and the elimination of welcome bonuses.
The study forecasts that the local sports betting market, currently at 14.6 million users, will reach $790.7 million by 2034. Martello warns that without government action, the unregulated segment will dominate the local market.