The report says participants must be in the same physical location, such as an office or factory. Pools involving different branches or remote colleagues would therefore fall outside the stated structure.
The guidance also reportedly requires that:
That creates a clear compliance test, but also a practical problem for modern workplaces. Hybrid teams and multi-site businesses now organise social activities digitally, making the ban on online communication particularly restrictive.
Michael Owen reportedly argued that office pools have been part of football culture for generations and that treating small colleague-to-colleague wagers as a regulatory priority shows a disconnect from everyday behaviour.
The report also says Louie French, the Conservative shadow culture minister, criticised the focus. His argument was that regulators should concentrate on organised illegal betting markets and areas where consumer harm is more serious.
Betting-industry representatives reportedly raised a similar concern over planned financial checks, warning that excessive pressure on regulated operators could push some activity towards illegal online channels. That remains an industry warning rather than proof of a direct consequence, but it highlights the wider tension: tighter controls can improve safeguards while also driving users away from visible, accountable markets.
The enthusiasm around the tournament is evident beyond betting. A residential estate in Bermondsey reportedly displayed about 400 flags, including support for England and Scotland. Scotland’s return to the World Cup, after last appearing in 1998, has broadened the tournament’s cultural reach across London.
As the competition approaches, the next test for the regulator will be explaining these boundaries without appearing to criminalise harmless football traditions. Office organisers, meanwhile, will need to keep pools local, offline and free from personal profit.