Peru betting traffic jumped during the 2026 World Cup, but only 7% of extra visits lasted, study finds

The FIFA World Cup 2026 lifted activity on Peruvian betting platforms, but most of the additional audience did not stay, according to a study by Apuesta Legal Perú. The research found that only 7% of the extra visits recorded during the tournament persisted once it ended.

Monthly visits to betting websites averaged 136.9 million in June and July. They then fell to 87.4 million in August and September, close to the 83.6 million monthly average seen between January and May, before the tournament. The data covers roughly a year and a half, from January 2025 to September 2026. In the third quarter, the market recorded 309.4 million visits, up 37.2% on the previous year, with July accounting for 44% of the quarterly total.

Betting volumes rose more modestly than traffic. Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) data shows taxed wagers averaged PEN 4.17 billion per month in June and July, 17% above the average of the previous three months, while platform visits rose 65% over the same period. July was the strongest month of the year, with about PEN 4.4 billion wagered and net gaming revenue of PEN 456 million. In August, when July's activity was taxed, the government collected PEN 44.2 million from the Selective Consumption Tax (ISC) and PEN 53.6 million from the tax on online games and remote sports betting.

The study also points to growing concentration. The three busiest operators in September held a combined 65% of visits, the highest share since the analysis began in January 2025. The market leader's share of traffic climbed from 27% to 36% in the third quarter. By total wagers, the five largest companies still hold around 75%, suggesting that the shift is mainly a redistribution of traffic among operators competing for the top spots. The study offered no forecast for the rest of 2026.

The findings come as Peruvian lawmakers weigh a bill filed in October 2026. Lawmaker Luis Aurelio Masco Cáceres and colleagues propose raising the ISC rate on online gambling and remote sports betting to 5%. The proposal estimates annual revenue could rise from PEN 324 million to PEN 1.62 billion, though these are projections rather than commitments. The sponsors say the aim is to increase public revenue and help protect young people and adolescents and prevent problem gambling. The change would not create a new tax or alter the tax base, but it could affect operators' economics.