CGF: UK Gambling Black Market Is Nearing 10% Market Share

The Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) has published a new report, suggesting that offshore companies now command a 9% share of the UK gaming market. The report is based on data from the first half of 2025 and asserts that illegal gaming has reached a “shocking scale.”

The Shadow of Crime Lurks Behind Famous Sporting Events

In the document dubbed CFG GB National 2024 and 2025 First Half Illegal Streaming of Sports Events and Illegal Gambling, a part of the broader CFG GB National 2024 and 2025 First Half Report, the CFG outlined certain statistics concerning the illegal online gaming market in the UK.

Based on Yield Sac data, recently acquired by Gaming Compliance International (GCI), the CFG understood that, in 2024, 3.1 illegal stream views of more than 90 seconds occurred across the nation’s top 10 sporting disciplines from local audiences. In the first half of 2025 alone, this figure reached 1.6 billion illegal stream views.

The recent report suggested that a staggering 89% of illegal stream views on sports were related to malware, spyware, keystroke loggers, and other ID and data theft mechanics. As a result, viewers of these streams were unwittingly being preyed upon by malicious parties. At the same time, the illegal streams undermined legitimate broadcasters.

Crime Breeds More Crime

The GCI also understood that 89% of illegal streaming of sports events was tied to illegal gambling, since most streams advertised unauthorized gaming platforms.

The report emphasized the dangers associated with such platforms, as they often prey on vulnerable groups, such as underage and self-excluded players. The GCI therefore attributed the rise in illegal sports streams to the fact that crime can make money from it.

Derek Webb, founder and funder of the CFG, commented on the matter, saying that the UK sports sector has regretfully been beset by organized crime.

The Gambling Commission and the Betting and Gaming Council both ignored advice concerning the black market from Yield Sec for many years. Treasury has now provided funding to the Gambling Commission to enforce against illegal operators but their understanding is insufficient, as shown in the commentary by Howard Reed of Landman Economics.

Derek Webb, founder & funder, CFG

Webb added that the UKGC and the DCMS have proven incapable of properly tackling crime of this nature.

Ismail Vali, president of GCI and founder and former CEO of Yield Sec, expressed concern about the fact that illegal online gambling is nearing a market share of 10% and that its growth hurts the most vulnerable of audiences.

What does crime do with all of the money it takes by stealing from local commerce, community and consumers? It makes more crime.

Ismail Vali, president, GCI

Vali added that the UK needs better monitoring, policing, enforcement and optimization of online gambling and streaming marketplaces in order to tackle the rise of illegal streams and betting.