Online gambling harms have reached their highest share of National Gambling Helpline disclosures in five years. GamCare said 82% of people who disclosed a gambling type in 2026 cited online gambling. The charity issued the update as the men’s World Cup has started, with young adults flagged as a higher-risk group.

• GamCare said 81.5% of 3,053 helpline contacts who disclosed a gambling type in 2026 mentioned online gambling harms. That is the highest level since 2021, when the figure was 82.6%. In-person gambling was cited by 36.1%, its lowest rate since 2021.
• The charity said major football tournaments can increase pressure on people already struggling with gambling. After the 2022 men’s World Cup, calls and online messages to the helpline rose 11% month-on-month. Contacts increased from 8,802 in December 2022 to 9,742 in January 2023.
• GamCare’s YouGov survey found that 32% of UK adults aged 18-34 who had bet on the Euros or World Cup before found it hard to avoid gambling during major tournaments. The figure was 18% for people aged 35-53 and 9% for those aged 55 and over. Among 18-34s who had bet on sports tournaments before, 30% said they later moved into higher-risk products such as online casino.
• Victoria Corbishley, CEO of GamCare, said: “We typically see more requests for help and support during major sporting tournaments, and the World Cup could be particularly problematic for those struggling with online gambling.” She said many people using GamCare’s services started with sports betting before developing harmful patterns. The group said later kick-offs and more matches could create more chances to gamble in private.

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