The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has introduced a five-point plan designed to address the continued growth of the UK's illegal gambling market, calling for coordinated action from government, regulators, technology firms and payment providers.
The trade body, which represents around 90% of the regulated UK betting and gaming sector, said the expansion of unlicensed gambling operators poses increasing risks to consumers, including fraud, financial crime and gambling-related harm.
According to independent forecasts from H2 Gambling Capital, stakes placed with illegal operators could rise from £17bn ($22.7bn) in 2025 to more than £33bn by 2028.
The research suggests that, within three years, almost one in every five pounds wagered online could be placed through unlicensed channels if current trends continue.
The BGC's plan focuses on five areas: removing illegal gambling advertising, strengthening powers to block unlawful websites and apps, disrupting payment flows to unlicensed operators, introducing penalties for companies that facilitate illegal gambling activity and increasing criminal sanctions against those who operate or support black market businesses.
The organisation argues that illegal operators are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their use of social media, search engines, affiliate marketing and encrypted communications to attract customers.
It also cited analysis from WARC indicating that illegal operators now account for almost half of UK gambling advertising spend, with that share expected to grow further in the coming years.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said the forecasts should serve as a warning to policymakers and industry stakeholders, emphasising that consumers who migrate to the black market lose access to age verification checks, safer gambling tools and formal routes for dispute resolution.
The BGC also called for the Government's existing Black Market Taskforce to be strengthened, arguing that more practical enforcement measures are required to prevent illegal operators from gaining further market share.
The five-point plan builds on a series of recent BGC initiatives addressing the black market threat. Last month, the organisation published the H2 Gambling Capital data underpinning today's announcement and launched its "Spot The Black Market" consumer quiz to help players identify unlicensed operators.
The BGC has also been engaged in a parallel debate with the Gambling Commission over the proposed rollout of financial risk assessments, arguing that any added friction in the regulated market risks accelerating the drift of consumers toward illegal sites.
According to H2 Gambling Capital, the value of stakes placed with illegal gambling operators in the UK has more than tripled since 2019, reaching an estimated £16.6bn in 2025
