BGC: Illegal Gambling Market in the UK Surges to GBP 16.6 Billion

The scale of illegal gambling in the UK has reached a new high. According to new research carried out by H2 Gambling Capital and shared by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), offshore betting has grown from around GBP 5 billion ($6.79 billion) in 2019 to GBP 16.6 billion ($22.5 billion). 

3x Higher Than 2019 Numbers

The figure is more than three times higher than in 2019 and has doubled in just the past two years, pointing to a rapidly expanding black market that is increasingly difficult to contain.

Much of the increase has occurred recently, with both stakes and operator profits accelerating sharply between 2023 and 2025. 

At the same time, the share of gambling taking place on regulated platforms has slipped from 97% to 92%, showing a gradual shift away from licensed operators.

Industry groups say this trend is being fuelled by a mix of tighter regulations, rising taxes, and the increasing visibility of illegal gambling sites online. 

According to separate findings from WARC, unlicensed operators now account for nearly half of all gambling advertising targeting UK customers, a figure expected to rise further in the coming years.

“Harmful Black Market Scaling Up”

The BGC has issued a clear warning regarding the way the growing exposure is pushing more players toward unsafe, unregulated platforms. 

These operators fall outside UK law, meaning they do not pay tax, offer no consumer safeguards, and are not held to the same standards as licensed companies.

BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst: “What we are seeing is a harmful black market scaling up at pace. Illegal operators are becoming more sophisticated, more visible and more aggressive in how they reach UK customers.”

“That should concern anyone who cares about consumer protection. The choice for policymakers is clear. If the regulated sector becomes harder to use or less competitive, customers will not stop betting; they will simply go elsewhere,” Hurst added.

The industry body also raised concerns over proposed financial risk checks, suggesting that if they are not implemented in a smooth and low-friction way, they could unintentionally push users further into the black market.

Despite the challenges, the regulated sector continues to play a significant role in the UK economy, supporting more than 100,000 jobs and contributing billions in tax revenue each year.