BGC on tackling UK illegal gambling: Time to act tech giants
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has called on the UK’s largest technology platforms to take urgent action against illegal gambling operators, warning that black market websites are increasingly using social media, search engines, messaging services and digital advertising networks to target UK consumers.
In an open letter to the leaders of the UK’s technology companies, BGC Chief Executive Grainne Hurst said illegal gambling operators are exploiting digital platforms to reach vulnerable consumers, including people who have self-excluded from gambling and those actively seeking support.
The intervention comes amid growing concerns over the rapid expansion of the illegal gambling market in the UK and follows previous warnings from Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller about the continued availability of illegal gambling advertising online, including promotions for so-called “not on GamStop” operators.
BGC calls on tech platforms to tackle illegal gambling operators
According to the BGC, unlicensed gambling operators are using major digital platforms to attract British customers while operating entirely outside the UK’s regulatory framework. Unlike licensed operators regulated by the Gambling Commission, illegal gambling websites are not required to conduct customer protection checks, do not contribute to research, prevention and treatment through the statutory levy, and do not pay UK tax.
In its open letter, the BGC argued that technology companies possess the tools, data and expertise needed to identify and disrupt illegal gambling activity at scale.
Tech platforms have the tools to tackle illegal gambling advertising. The question is whether enough is being done.
— Betting and Gaming Council (@BetGameCouncil) June 17, 2026
As Grainne Hurst writes in an open letter reported by @CityAM, criminal operators are using social media, search engines and digital advertising to target UK…
Hurst said: “The harmful black market is growing at an alarming rate, and illegal operators are exploiting online platforms to target British consumers.
“Technology companies have some of the most advanced tools, data and expertise in the world. The question is no longer whether this problem can be addressed, but whether enough is being done.
She added that users who engage with unlicensed operators lose the safeguards of the regulated market, urging platforms to step up their response. “We are calling on technology platforms to match the scale of the threat with the scale of their response.”
Black market gambling forecast to nearly double by 2028
The BGC’s latest intervention comes against a backdrop of mounting concern about the scale of the UK’s illegal gambling market. Research cited by the organisation from WARC suggests that illegal operators now account for almost half of all gambling advertising spend in Britain and could overtake licensed operators by 2028.
Meanwhile, analysis by H2 Gambling Capital forecasts that stakes with black market operators could rise from £17 billion (about $22.8 billion) today to £33 billion ($44.3 billion) by 2028, highlighting what the BGC describes as a growing consumer protection challenge.
The trade body has repeatedly warned that customers who migrate to illegal gambling sites lose access to safeguards available in the regulated market, including age verification checks, anti-money laundering controls and safer gambling protections.
Those concerns have featured prominently in recent industry discussions. Speaking at the 2026 Gambling Anti-Money Laundering Group conference in London, former National Crime Agency Director General Keith Bristow warned that illegal operators create a low-risk, high-reward environment for criminals because they operate without the safeguards required of licensed businesses.
Industry representatives and regulators at the conference also highlighted the importance of cooperation between operators, regulators, government and law enforcement agencies to prevent consumers from moving into the black market.
BGC outlines demands for technology companies
In its letter, the BGC has called on technology platforms to take a more proactive role in tackling illegal gambling content and advertising. The council has urged the tech platforms to identify and remove such material before it reaches consumers while investing further resources to detect and disrupt black market operators.
Additionally, the BGC has called for stronger cooperation with regulators, law enforcement and industry stakeholders, alongside improved intelligence sharing to prevent illegal operators from shifting between platforms. The trade body also asked for greater transparency around enforcement actions and outcomes, and for coordinated efforts to protect vulnerable consumers from unlicensed gambling sites.
The BGC acknowledged that different approaches may be required for paid advertising and user-generated content, but argued that the growing scale of the illegal gambling market requires a stronger collective response.
Pressure grows for coordinated action against illegal gambling
The latest appeal forms part of a broader campaign by the BGC to combat illegal gambling in Britain. Earlier this month, the trade body launched a five-point plan calling on ministers, regulators, technology companies and financial institutions to work together to shut down illegal gambling operators targeting UK consumers.
The organisation has also warned that black market operators could seek to capitalise on major sporting events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with estimates suggesting around £200 million (about $269 million) could be staked with unregulated operators during the tournament.
In its latest message to technology firms, the BGC said tackling illegal gambling is no longer solely an industry issue but a wider consumer protection and public policy challenge. “The black market is growing. The threat is real. The consumers at risk are real. And the time for action is now,” Hurst wrote.
The BGC letter concludes with a direct challenge to Britain’s technology companies, asking whether they will join regulators, law enforcement and the regulated gambling industry in a coordinated effort to disrupt illegal operators and protect UK consumers online.
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