Blask, an AI-driven iGaming market-intelligence platform, has released its World Cup 2026 Report, providing a detailed analysis of how the tournament influenced iGaming demand, interest in betting brands, and margins for bookmakers across the 44 tracked markets.
Utilizing real-time search-driven demand tracking, Blask compares current data to both the period leading up to the tournament and the same timeframe from the previous year.
The report reveals three key insights:
1. iGaming demand experienced minimal growth leading up to the tournament, with the Blask Index increasing by just 0.2% compared to the pre-World Cup baseline.
2. The lasting interest generated by hosting the World Cup significantly declines once the home team is eliminated. Following their exit, US demand plummeted by 28%, while Mexico saw a smaller decline of 11%, and Canada witnessed a 7% increase.
3. Introducing a new metric, Blask illustrates how the tournament favored bettors over bookmakers. The Match Profitability Index, which scores each match based on the betting outcome rather than the game result, reveals that across all 104 matches, bookmakers ended up at a net loss. The most profitable match for bookmakers was the unexpected 0-0 draw between England and Ghana, while New Zealand’s 1-5 defeat to Belgium marked the largest loss for them.
The comprehensive report also addresses trends in World Cup Index demand, noting that search interest peaked during the opening week in most markets rather than at the final. Additionally, it highlights significant brand-level growth throughout the tournament, featuring a remarkable 464% increase for the top performer, along with a detailed profitability assessment for each match.
