Singaporeans Raise Alarms Over Underage Kids Betting in Sports Apps Ahead of the 2026 World Cup
According to a recent study by Jumio, there are significant worries regarding minors using the betting apps for sports in Singapore ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was further revealed that betting will be a very important part in motivating adults to watch the tournament since there will be an increase in betting activities.
Worries Over Minor Access
The survey involved over 8,000 adult consumers in the U.S., the UK, Singapore, and Mexico, equally divided between the four countries. According to the findings, globally, 63% of respondents expressed their concern over minors using sports betting apps, while 76% of respondents in Singapore were concerned about the matter.
Concerns are not limited to consumer awareness. Jumio found that 74% of respondents worldwide and 82% in Singapore believe preventing underage betting should be the responsibility of online platforms and their technology providers. In Singapore, only 4% disagreed that this should be treated as a critical priority for the gaming industry.
Betting Interest Rises
The report also showed that one in 3 adults globally plan to take part in sports betting as part of their World Cup celebrations. Mexico recorded the strongest betting intent at 43%, followed by the United Kingdom at 33%, Singapore at 29%, and the United States at 26%.
For many fans, betting is set to be central to the experience. In Singapore, 48% said sports betting will be an important part of how they plan to enjoy the tournament, while the same share said they also intend to socialize around the bets they place.
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Online Platforms Under Pressure
The study pointed to growing reliance on digital platforms. More than half of respondents globally, or 55%, said they would prefer to place bets online, compared with 51% in Singapore. Around 20% globally and 19% in Singapore expect to use an online gaming platform for the first time during the World Cup.
Jumio also reported that 43% of global respondents and 42% in Singapore already have a sports betting account they plan to use during the tournament. Meanwhile, 37% globally expect to use multiple platforms when placing bets during matches, compared with 27% in Singapore.
Verification At The Center
Jumio said these overlapping behaviors may create added onboarding pressure for operators and test their ability to keep minors off betting platforms. The company noted that as online sports betting grows, operators have a clear duty to prevent minors from accessing their platforms and should not wait for problems to happen before acting.
Bala Kumar, Jumio’s president and chief product and technology officer, said in effect that online betting platforms need layered identity and age verification that protects users without making it difficult for legitimate adults to get through. He added that the operators likely to succeed will be the ones who treat verification as a basic requirement rather than a mere formality.
Source: Business Today
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