The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published initial findings from its Illegal Gambling Index, showing that 2.5% of people who gambled online during the previous year had used illegal gambling websites within four weeks of being surveyed.
Developed with Yonder Consulting, the index measures consumer engagement with unlicensed gambling operators using seven behavioural indicators. These include using websites outside the GamStop self-exclusion scheme, registering with operators that do not require age or identity verification, and accessing gambling services through cryptocurrency or virtual private networks.
The findings were drawn from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, covering April 2025 to April 2026.
Younger adults and men record higher illegal gambling engagement
The research found that another 1.5% of online gamblers had engaged with illegal websites during the preceding 12 months, excluding the most recent four weeks.
Across all respondents, including non-gamblers, 0.6% met the criteria for illegal gambling website use within four weeks, while 0.4% had engaged during the preceding year. A further 4.6% showed limited indications of engagement, although the Commission said the evidence was insufficient to classify them as illegal website users.
Men were more likely than women to engage with illegal gambling websites. Among younger adults, those aged 18 to 24 recorded higher engagement over the preceding year, while recent activity was more prevalent among respondents aged 25 to 34.
The most common behavioural indicators included using websites outside GamStop, reported by 58% of identified users, and cancelling withdrawals before funds reached a bank account or wallet, reported by 56.6%.
UKGC plans expanded monitoring of illegal gambling networks
Sue Young, the Commission’s executive director for operations, said illegal gambling remained a consumer protection concern despite relatively low participation.
“We want to kick crime out of gambling,” Young said. The Commission reported increased disruption activity during the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year but acknowledged that it was too early to assess its impact.
The regulator also plans to expand its Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard to examine the wider infrastructure supporting unlicensed operators. This will include affiliates, social media platforms, advertisers, payment providers and hosting services.
Further survey data will be used to distinguish short-term changes in consumer behaviour from longer-term trends in illegal gambling participation.
Share
7 views
