Austria Warns World Cup Betting Surge Is Driving Problem Gambling

Research by the Anton Proksch Institute has revealed that around 300,000 adults in Austria are experiencing problem gambling behaviour. The situation is worsened by major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, which increase the risk for vulnerable players.

Oliver Scheibenbogen, Head of Academy, Research and Digitalisation at the institute, said the organisation has recorded “a massive increase” in enquiries related to sports betting during the tournament.

“During major events such as the World Cup, betting is omnipresent. Those people who are already betting would do it even more intensively. In some cases, people who were already abstinent would also have relapses due to such events.”

Scheibenbogen said one of the biggest challenges is the growing perception about sports betting being a game of skill rather than gambling. While knowledge can influence betting decisions, outcomes remain uncertain, making financial losses an unavoidable risk for many players.

Combination bets and rising debt are major concerns for treatment providers

Scheibenbogen identified combination bets as one of the highest risk products because they encourage players to chase large payouts despite the low probability of success.

“A particularly great danger comes from combination bets: not only the outcome of one game is bet on, but of several,” Scheibenbogen said. “Of course, this has a charm. But it is very unlikely to win. And it’s completely irrelevant whether you know your way around football or not.”

The institute said most people seeking help for gambling addiction are men, outnumbering women by four or five to one. Many are between 25 and 28 years old.

Patients admitted for treatment typically carry debts of between €35,000 and €50,000, while the most severe cases can exceed €300,000.

“Many have ruined their existence so much that they have suicidal thoughts or actually commit suicide because of the massive debt.”

Austria prepares for market changes and responsible gambling reforms

Austria currently operates under a state gambling monopoly through Casinos Austria, although the market is set to liberalise latest by October 2027. This transition could introduce more international operators with established responsible gambling programmes and safer gambling tools. 

As the regulatory landscape evolves, player protection is central to efforts aimed at reducing gambling harm and supporting problem gamblers.

Austrian authorities have flagged recent major tournaments as a driver of problem gambling in its industry. This is also worsened by the perception around sports betting being a skill-based game instead of chance. With the market liberalising in the near future, the burden of player protection will be shared by multiple industry stakeholders.