Gambling Commission Survey Shows 4% of Online Gamblers in Great Britain Used Illegal Sites
A Gambling Commission survey found 4% of online gamblers in Great Britain used illegal gambling sites over 12 months.Summary
The Gambling Commission estimates that 4% of people who gambled online in Great Britain engaged with illegal gambling websites over a 12-month period, with 2.5% doing so in the previous four weeks, according to its latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain. The findings, based on data collected between April 2025 and April 2026, accompany an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard tracking consumer engagement and the regulator's disruption efforts. Engagement was higher among males and younger adults, particularly those aged 18 to 24, with a further 4.6% showing limited indications of engagement insufficient for full classification. The Commission's Illegal Gambling Index uses seven behavioral indicators, including gambling with cryptocurrency, using VPNs to access restricted sites, using sites outside Gamstop, and gambling without age or identity verification. Searches for sites "not on Gamstop" emerged as a prominent discovery route. Sue Young, Executive Director for Operations, stated the Commission wants to "kick crime out of gambling" and noted that consumers using illegal operators are more likely to experience harm. The Commission stated its indicators do not currently show sustained growth in illegal online gambling and that individual measures remain estimates. It will update the dashboard every six months, expand monitoring to affiliates, advertising, payment providers and hosting services, and add survey questions on illegal gambling consumer categories in 2027.
(Source：Sccg Management)