Sports drive online betting adoption

Summary

• First-time online betting users grew 22% year-over-year during the 2025 football season, defined as September through February.
• The number of first-time online betting users nearly tripled in June and July compared to the start of the year.
• The surge in new users was likely driven by promotions, buzz related to prediction markets, and the FIFA World Cup 2026.
• Betting activity is largely seasonal, with participation fluctuating alongside the timing of major sporting events.
• Data is derived from aggregated and anonymized Bank of America transaction records, including credit/debit card spending from active US households making at least five transactions monthly.
• The dataset excludes corporate card spending and is limited to predominantly online sports betting, horse racing, and prediction markets.
• First-time users are defined as customers making their first observed transaction in the category during a particular month based on records dating back to 2015.
• A Bank of America Market Insights Survey was conducted between March 24-31, 2026, among 2,351 respondents.
• The report notes that data may reflect selection bias, is not comprehensive, and does not measure gambling activity volume, customer profitability, or platform market share.