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The UK Gambling Commission has published its final research report on illegal online gambling, completing a four-part series that has examined consumer behavior, enforcement actions, and market measurement challenges throughout 2024.
The latest report, titled "Estimating the size of the illegal online gambling market," addresses the difficulties regulators face when attempting to quantify unlicensed gambling activity. The Commission notes that measuring illegal market size requires significant assumptions due to incomplete data and hidden operations, comparing the challenge to estimating illegal tobacco trade levels.
Research Series Overview
The four-part research project examined multiple aspects of illegal gambling activity. Earlier reports analyzed why consumers use unlicensed sites, the frequency and methods of such engagement, and existing disruption efforts targeting illegal operators. The final report shifts focus to measurement methodology and explains why a single market size figure can misrepresent the true scope of the problem.
Consumer Behavior Patterns
The research found that many players who access illegal gambling sites did not intentionally seek out unlicensed operators. Some followed online advertisements that appeared legitimate, while others turned to unlicensed sites after being blocked from regulated operators through self-exclusion programs. Additional users simply did not understand the differences between licensed and unlicensed platforms.
The report indicates that available data does not show a confirmed upward trend in illegal market growth, though significant data gaps remain. The Commission emphasized that broad claims about market direction require caution given current measurement limitations.
Cross-Sector Enforcement Approach
The Commission stressed that addressing illegal gambling requires cooperation across multiple sectors. Payment providers, social media platforms, search engines, internet service providers, and consumer protection organizations all play roles in limiting unlicensed gambling activity. Regulatory enforcement alone cannot effectively address the issue without collaborative support from these industries.
“Illegal online gambling remains a serious threat to consumers and to the integrity of the regulated market. While measuring the full scale of the problem is complex, our understanding is growing — and so too is our ability to disrupt illegal operators. Our independent research has strengthened the evidence base, improved transparency, and underlined that progress depends on a collective effort across sectors.”
Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes stated in the report.
Next Steps
The UK Gambling Commission plans to continue developing improved data collection methods, targeting illegal platforms through enforcement actions, and working with partner organizations to increase public awareness about licensed versus unlicensed gambling operations.
The complete research series provides regulators, operators, and policymakers with a detailed evidence base for understanding and addressing illegal gambling activity in the UK market.
Source: UK Gambling Commission
