About one in five people who illegally gambling on football are likely to default on their bets, and leave total debts of around Bt6 billion, according to a Kasikorn Research Centre survey released yesterday.

Referring to crime records in the aftermath of previous football tournaments, the survey predicted an increase in both petty and serious crimes, ranging from theft, to battery and assault and even murder associated with debt collection.

The survey, conducted among 500 people who gamble on football, suggested that

60 per cent of gamblers were losing anything from Bt200 to several hundred thousand baht.

The Bt6-billion estimate is thought to be approximately 16 per cent of the total amount of bets placed on World Cup games across the country.

The survey found that gamblers were less likely to pay back debts to close friends (51 per cent), than sums owed to bookmakers.

Many reasoned that they could negotiate with friends while bookmakers were more likely to resort to violence.

Under-25s are considered the most likely group of gamblers to cheat on debts, as students and or low earners who lack a regular income, make up the majority of this age group.

Meanwhile, a football fan in Ratchaburi died of heart failure while watching the France-Portugal match.

Doctors said Jatuphorn Wongprasit, 37, appeared to become over-excited during the semi-final.

His body was found at around 2pm yesterday, eight hours after his death.

His mother said Jatuphorn had been in good health and watched most of the tournament's matches.

Portugal and Germany were his favourite teams, she added, and both were defeated in the semi-finals.