Nigeria has the highest reported sports betting participation rate among the countries covered by the latest comparable global data available in 2026, with 64.88% of respondents saying they had placed a sports bet online or through an app during the previous 12 months. Ireland ranks second at 61.40%, followed by the United Kingdom at 53.20%, while Romania ranks seventh at 48.58%. The figures come from TGM Research’s global gambling and sports betting study, conducted in 2024 across 34 countries, and should be treated as estimates rather than an exact measurement of each country’s entire population.
Sports betting has become a mainstream activity in many parts of the world, but its popularity varies dramatically from one market to another. Some countries have developed mature regulated betting industries with strong online participation, while others have a deeply established culture of informal and retail betting.
For 2026, the most useful way to compare these markets is therefore to look at the latest comparable international survey data available, while being transparent about its age and limitations.
The Top 10 Countries for Sports Betting Participation
| Rank | Country | Reported sports betting participation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 64.88% |
| 2 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 61.40% |
| 3 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 53.20% |
| 4 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 53.15% |
| 5 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 52.74% |
| 6 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | 48.84% |
| 7 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 48.58% |
| 8 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 46.45% |
| 9 | 🇮🇳 India | 44.40% |
| 10 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 44.39% |
The figures represent respondents who reported placing sports bets online or through apps during the previous 12 months. TGM’s research covered adults aged 18 to 55+ and used online interviews across 34 countries. The country samples ranged from 111 respondents in Indonesia to 643 in South Africa, with the results weighted to account for age and gender structures.
Nigeria Leads a Global Sports Betting Ranking
Nigeria stands out at the top of the table, with 64.88% of respondents reporting online sports betting activity during the previous year.
The country’s betting culture is particularly closely connected with football. Sports betting has become deeply integrated into the way many fans follow football, with mobile and online platforms making it possible to place wagers before and during matches.
TGM’s Nigerian sample contained 285 respondents, and sports betting through websites or apps was the most commonly reported betting activity. Informal sports betting among friends was also significant, showing that betting in Nigeria extends beyond licensed online operators.
The Nigerian result is particularly striking because it means almost two-thirds of the surveyed population reported some form of online sports betting participation.
Ireland and the United Kingdom Remain Major Betting Markets
Ireland follows Nigeria with a reported participation rate of 61.40%.
Ireland’s position is hardly surprising given the country’s long association with sports betting, particularly horse racing and football. The relatively small TGM sample for Ireland means the 61.40% figure should not be interpreted as an exact national prevalence rate, but it nevertheless points towards a very strong betting culture.
The United Kingdom ranks third at 53.20%.
The UK is one of the world’s most developed regulated betting markets, with sports betting deeply embedded in professional football, horse racing and other major sports.
The country’s position is particularly interesting in 2026 because the regulatory environment is changing. The Premier League’s new restrictions on gambling sponsorships and continuing discussions around safer gambling are changing the way betting companies interact with sports audiences, even though betting itself remains extremely popular.
South Africa and Italy Both Pass 50%
South Africa takes fourth place with 53.15%, narrowly ahead of Italy at 52.74%.
The South African figure comes from a considerably larger sample than several countries near the top of the ranking, with 643 respondents in TGM’s study. Sports betting was one of the country’s most popular gambling activities, behind lotteries and games of chance.
Italy is another major European betting market.
TGM found that 52.74% of Italian respondents had placed sports bets online or through apps during the previous 12 months. Sports betting was the most commonly reported betting activity in the Italian sample, ahead of online slots and informal sports betting among friends.
Italy also shows how important live betting has become. TGM’s research found significant interest in being able to place wagers while watching sporting events unfold, highlighting the growing importance of real-time betting experiences.
Turkey and Romania Are Almost Identical
The sixth and seventh positions are separated by less than half a percentage point.
Turkey records 48.84%, while Romania comes in at 48.58%.
In Turkey, nearly half of respondents reported placing sports bets online or through apps. Informal betting among friends was also relatively common, with 32.41% reporting that activity.
Romania’s position is particularly notable.
At 48.58%, the country ranks above Australia, India and Portugal in the available international comparison. TGM’s Romanian sample consisted of 337 respondents, and sports betting was the most commonly reported betting activity. Almost 30% also reported informal sports betting among friends.
For a country of Romania’s size, that suggests a particularly strong level of engagement with online sports betting.
Australia, India and Portugal Complete the Top 10
Australia ranks eighth at 46.45%.
The Australian figure is interesting because the country has one of the world’s most established sports betting cultures, particularly around horse racing and major professional sports. TGM found online sports betting to be the country’s most commonly reported betting activity, with 46.45% of respondents participating.
India follows at 44.40%.
The country’s enormous population means that even a participation rate below some smaller markets could translate into a very large absolute number of sports bettors. Cricket is particularly important to India’s betting ecosystem, although the legal status of betting varies significantly between states and forms of wagering.
Portugal rounds out the top 10 at 44.39%. TGM found sports betting through online platforms or apps to be the country’s most popular betting activity, ahead of online slots and lotteries.
Why These Numbers Should Not Be Treated as Exact
There is an important caveat behind this ranking.
These are not 2026 population statistics.
The underlying TGM research was conducted between June 1 and July 31, 2024, using computer-assisted web interviews across 34 countries. The study included more than 8,900 respondents overall, with individual country samples varying considerably in size.
That means the percentages should not be interpreted as saying, for example, that exactly 48.58% of every Romanian adult currently bets on sports.
Instead, they represent the proportion of respondents in the survey who reported the relevant activity.
This distinction matters because gambling participation can change rapidly as regulations, economic conditions, sporting events, technology and consumer habits evolve.
There is also a methodological issue when comparing surveys from different organisations. Different studies may define “sports betting” differently, use different age ranges, survey different populations or include retail betting alongside online betting.
For that reason, the ranking above is best viewed as a comparison of reported participation using the latest comparable international dataset available in 2026, rather than a definitive census of global sports bettors.
What the Ranking Tells Us About the Global Betting Market
Despite those limitations, the numbers reveal some fascinating patterns.
Europe remains heavily represented, with Ireland, the UK, Italy, Turkey, Romania and Portugal all appearing in the top 10.
Africa is also impossible to ignore. Nigeria leads the entire ranking, while South Africa sits fourth.
Australia and India demonstrate the strength of sports betting in major Asia-Pacific markets, while the absence of countries such as Brazil and Mexico from this particular top 10 does not mean their betting industries are small. It simply means their reported participation rate in this specific survey was lower than the countries listed above.
TGM’s broader 2024 research found that more than 60% of respondents globally had placed at least one sports bet during the previous 12 months, up from 35.4% in its 2022 research. The company attributes part of the growth to the increasing accessibility of online and mobile betting.
That shift towards digital betting is perhaps the most important trend behind the numbers.
The Picture Could Look Different by 2026
The betting landscape has continued to change since the survey was conducted.
New markets have opened, existing jurisdictions have tightened regulation, mobile betting has continued to grow and operators have increasingly focused on live betting and personalised digital experiences.
That means a genuinely new global survey conducted in 2026 could produce a noticeably different ranking.
For now, however, the available evidence gives us a useful picture of where sports betting participation was particularly high and provides a valuable baseline for understanding the global market.
Nigeria’s 64.88% remains the standout figure, while Ireland, the UK, South Africa and Italy all recorded participation above 50%.
And for Romania, the 48.58% reported rate puts the country surprisingly high on the global map.
The numbers may not be perfect, and they should not be presented as an exact measurement of today’s population. But they do show one thing very clearly.
Sports betting is no longer a niche activity concentrated in a handful of traditional gambling markets. It has become a global phenomenon, with particularly high reported participation across Europe, Africa and several major international sports markets.