The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has unveiled a new five-point plan aimed at curbing the growth of the UK’s illegal gambling market, warning that unlicensed operators are becoming an increasing threat to consumer safety and the regulated industry.
Representing around 90% of Britain’s licensed betting and gaming sector, the BGC is urging the government, regulators, technology companies and financial institutions to work together to tackle illegal gambling networks that continue to target UK consumers online.
The trade body’s concerns are driven by forecasts from H2 Gambling Capital, which estimate that stakes placed with black-market operators could rise from £17 billion in 2025 to more than £33 billion by 2028. If those projections prove accurate, nearly one in every five pounds wagered online in the UK could be placed with an unlicensed operator within the next three years.
To address the issue, the BGC has proposed five key measures:
- Crack down on illegal gambling advertising, particularly across social media and digital platforms.
- Give the UK Gambling Commission stronger powers to block illegal websites and remove unlicensed gambling apps.
- Restrict payment processing for illegal operators by working with banks and payment providers.
- Introduce penalties for businesses that knowingly support black-market gambling through advertising, hosting or payment services.
- Increase criminal sanctions against those operating or profiting from illegal gambling activities.
The BGC argues that illegal operators offer none of the protections required within the regulated market, including safer gambling tools, age verification checks, customer protection measures and formal dispute resolution processes. The organisation also noted that black-market operators do not contribute taxes or funding to British sport and other public initiatives.
Recent industry research cited by the BGC suggests that illegal operators now account for almost half of UK gambling advertising spending and could surpass licensed operators within the next few years if current trends continue. Meanwhile, figures from the Gambling Commission show hundreds of thousands of illegal gambling-related URLs have already been referred for removal, highlighting the scale of the challenge.
The council welcomed the creation of the government’s Illegal Gambling Taskforce but stressed that stronger enforcement and broader cooperation are still needed. According to the BGC, tackling the black market is not only an industry concern but also a matter of consumer protection, public health and criminal justice.