Matched Betting and Gambling Harm: Reassessing the "Risk-Free" Claim

Session Title

Gambling Research: Measurement & Online Patterns

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation

Start Date

28-5-2026 12:00 AM

Abstract

Matched betting—often promoted as “risk-free —uses mathematical strategies to profit from free bets and promotions offered by online gambling platforms. By placing back bets with bookmakers and lay bets via exchanges, individuals aim to reduce chance and secure profit. Despite growing visibility, particularly among university students and those seeking supplementary income, its relationship to gambling-related harm remains unknown. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the prevalence, motivations, and lived experiences of matched betting, and its associations with harm. Quantitative data were collected through a screening survey of UK online gamblers (n=7,041) and a follow-up survey with matched bettors (n=2,112). This follow-up assessed gambling behaviour, gambling severity, and harm indices. We collected 2,954 open-text responses exploring perceptions and experiences, which were analysed thematically. Additionally, in-depth qualitative interviews (n=30) offered insight into motivations and practices. Across datasets, matched betting was commonly framed as skill-based and distinct from gambling, with fewer than half of participants classifying it as gambling. However, reported experiences revealed notable harm, including financial losses and elevated gambling risk. Students emerged as a particularly vulnerable group, reporting higher gambling severity, a broader range of financial, emotional, and academic harms, and riskier engagement patterns.

Author Bios

Dr Reece Bush-Evans is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and a member of the Gambling Research Group at Bournemouth University, UK. His research focuses on gambling-related harms, consumer vulnerability, and emerging gambling practices, with particular attention to inequalities affecting marginalised communities.

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May 28th, 12:00 AM

Matched Betting and Gambling Harm: Reassessing the "Risk-Free" Claim

Matched betting—often promoted as “risk-free —uses mathematical strategies to profit from free bets and promotions offered by online gambling platforms. By placing back bets with bookmakers and lay bets via exchanges, individuals aim to reduce chance and secure profit. Despite growing visibility, particularly among university students and those seeking supplementary income, its relationship to gambling-related harm remains unknown. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the prevalence, motivations, and lived experiences of matched betting, and its associations with harm. Quantitative data were collected through a screening survey of UK online gamblers (n=7,041) and a follow-up survey with matched bettors (n=2,112). This follow-up assessed gambling behaviour, gambling severity, and harm indices. We collected 2,954 open-text responses exploring perceptions and experiences, which were analysed thematically. Additionally, in-depth qualitative interviews (n=30) offered insight into motivations and practices. Across datasets, matched betting was commonly framed as skill-based and distinct from gambling, with fewer than half of participants classifying it as gambling. However, reported experiences revealed notable harm, including financial losses and elevated gambling risk. Students emerged as a particularly vulnerable group, reporting higher gambling severity, a broader range of financial, emotional, and academic harms, and riskier engagement patterns.