Research Shows the UK Illegal Gambling Market Has More Than Tripled

Gamblers in Britain wagered £16.6 billion, or about €19.2 billion, with illegal gambling operators in 2025, according to H2 Gambling Capital data cited by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).

By comparison, the total was estimated at about £5 billion in 2019, or roughly €5.8 billion.

The figures show that stakes placed with illegal gambling operators have more than tripled over six years. According to H2GC, both stakes and illegal operators’ profits doubled between 2023 and 2025 alone.

The BGC said the rise has coincided with a gradual decline in gambling with regulated operators.

Regulated operators accounted for 97% of betting activity in 2019. By 2025, that share had fallen to 92%.

The association also pointed to the growing online presence of illegal operators. According to analytics company WARC, they already account for nearly half of gambling advertising spend in the UK. Within two years, their share could exceed that of licensed operators.

The BGC linked the growth of the illegal market to tighter regulation, a higher tax burden and the growing visibility of offshore websites. Against this backdrop, the association warned that planned financial checks on players should not create unnecessary friction for customers, as excessive barriers could push some users away from licensed platforms and toward illegal operators.