Indebted Brazilians more likely to bet during 2026 World Cup, according to survey

A Creditas and Opinion Box survey has found that 20% of Brazilians would be willing to take on debt to follow the 2026 World Cup, while younger and already indebted respondents showed a stronger tendency to spend and bet during the tournament.

The study, titled “Financial Scoreboard: How football affects the wallets and debt of Brazilians,” interviewed 561 workers over the age of 18 across all regions of Brazil between April 15 and 22. The margin of error is 4.1 percentage points.

Brazilian fans are preparing for a tournament that will be hosted for the first time by three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The competition begins on June 11, with the opening ceremony at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, as Brazil seeks a sixth World Cup title.

The survey found that 74% of respondents expect to spend money during the World Cup, with 73% planning to spend more than R$ 100. However, 80% may spend without prior planning, and 47% said they expect to increase spending with each Brazil victory. Only 26% said they do not intend to spend during the tournament.

Food and drinks led the expected spending categories, cited by 51% of respondents, followed by official sporting goods at 23% and private parties and events at 20%. The social nature of the tournament was cited by 49% of respondents as a reason for exceeding their budget.

Debt was already present among part of the sample before the event. The survey found that 26% of participants are in debt, and 47% of them intend to spend more during the World Cup. Among those willing to incur debt for the tournament, 36% said the event’s four-year cycle justified the decision.

Betting was more common among those already under financial pressure. According to the study, 79% of indebted respondents intend to gamble during the World Cup, compared with 48% of those without debt, making indebted respondents 1.6 times more likely to do so. Overall, 56% of respondents did not rule out betting during the tournament.

For some respondents, betting is not only entertainment. One third of participants said they see gambling as a way to supplement income. Of that group, 31% intend to use any winnings to cover expenses, while 15% plan to pay off debts. At the same time, 54% of respondents said they view betting as entertainment.

Guilherme Casagrande, a financial educator at Creditas, warned against treating betting as a route to higher income, saying: “This path of looking at it is very dangerous.”

The tendency was stronger among younger respondents. In the 18 to 24 age group, 70% intend to participate in betting or group bets, while 89% said they are willing to spend during the tournament. Among younger respondents, 30% are willing to take on debt. The survey noted that this group largely belongs to a generation that has not seen Brazil win a World Cup.

The perception of betting as a quick financial gain was also more common among younger and indebted participants, with 48% of those aged 18 to 24 and 44% of indebted respondents associating betting with that possibility.

“When you’re in a bad situation, the risk becomes irrelevant. They think, ‘What if it works out, because if the problem isn’t solved, it will only increase the amount of debt I already have',” Casagrande comments.

Felipe Schepers, COO of Opinion Box, said some consumers may assume they have not spent on the World Cup if betting winnings cover part of the cost. He warned that this perception does not reflect actual financial behavior and may affect personal financial organization. Schepers also pointed to the high level of World Cup betting advertising as a concern.