A recent survey conducted by SEON, a company specializing in fraud prevention and compliance, indicates a notable trend towards prediction markets as a popular betting option, especially among younger audiences, in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Out of 588 adults in the United States surveyed, 19% expressed their intention to utilize prediction markets during the tournament. While this figure falls short of the 29% who plan to use traditional sportsbooks, it surpasses the 17% interested in social casinos, as well as the 8% for both crypto-based and offshore betting platforms.
George Pace, SEON's Lead Product Marketing Manager for Betting and Gaming, highlighted that prediction markets allow bettors to stake their money based on their insights. He noted, “The World Cup enhances this appeal, generating a constant stream of news and numerous outcomes to bet on, from group stage results to individual player performances.”
For many fans, particularly younger ones, merely watching the matches is no longer sufficient; they seek active participation, and prediction markets offer an accessible way to engage in real-time betting.
The survey also revealed that 56% of participants plan to watch the tournament, with about 43% indicating they are at least somewhat likely to place bets on the games.
Millennials demonstrated a particularly strong inclination towards prediction markets, with 36% indicating they would use these platforms during the tournament, closely trailing the 38% who prefer licensed sportsbooks.
SEON's findings reflect a significant shift in how younger consumers are approaching sports betting. Only 24% of Millennials reported that they do not engage in betting, the lowest percentage among all age groups surveyed. In comparison, 28% of Gen Z, 70% of Baby Boomers, and 56% of Gen X indicated they do not bet.
Despite the growing interest in betting, security concerns remain prevalent. Nearly half of the respondents (45%) expressed doubts about the ability of betting platforms to safeguard their personal and financial data during major events like the World Cup.
The survey also uncovered behaviors that could lead to fraud and compliance issues for operators. For instance, 22% admitted to creating multiple betting accounts to take advantage of promotions, while 20% reported clicking on betting links from social media or messaging apps, and 17% used someone else's betting account.
Concerns about account sharing were underscored by a recent NCAA case involving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who was deemed ineligible after placing bets through accounts registered to others while at Indiana University.
Additionally, the SEON survey revealed that scams related to World Cup betting are already surfacing online, with 24% of respondents reporting they had encountered social media scams linked to World Cup betting.