The report points to a familiar pattern:
That matters because football betting rarely sits in isolation during a tournament. It follows team news, in-play markets, social media clips and the pressure to chase losses after a surprise result. The more fixtures on the calendar, the easier it becomes for occasional betting to turn into a habit.
The most interesting part of the update is the focus on slowing people down. Barclays is reportedly promoting an in-app Gambling Block that stops most payments to gambling merchants. If a customer switches it off, a 72-hour cooling-off period applies before the block is removed.
That kind of friction can matter during a tournament. Football thrives on impulse - a late equaliser, a penalty shootout, a big underdog. A delay creates space between emotion and action. The report also says the number of Gambling Blocks in place has risen by more than 10% since the feature was introduced, which points to demand for simple controls rather than just awareness campaigns.
Technology on its own is not the full answer. The update says Barclays is also directing customers towards specialist support, including GamCare, and attributes 621 website sessions over the past year to Barclays referrals. That is a reminder that responsible gambling is not only about blocking transactions; it is also about giving people a route to help before a difficult spell gets worse.
As the countdown to World Cup 2026 continues, this will be a story worth tracking alongside the football itself. The tournament will bring noise, hype and betting offers everywhere - and that makes control, not just excitement, part of the conversation.