BGC cautions against complacency over false illegal gambling narrative

• The BGC has batted down that criticism that "exaggerated illegal gambling claims"
• The trade group’s boss, Grainne Hurst’s op piece produced for PoliticsHome, argues that the debate should be reframed
• The key question ought to be how to make players pick the local gambling market over unregulated alternatives

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) CEO Grainne Hurst has published a new op-ed, originally appearing in PoliticsHome, in which she spoke at length about the state of the black market - a subject that the trade group has repeatedly addressed over the past weeks and months.

The BGC argues that the illegal market is growing at an unprecedented rate, significantly boosting its footprint.

Reasons for concern as illegal gambling surges

In the piece, the BGC argued that critics at the trade group and the gambling industry that the concerns about the black market are exaggerated are unjust, and that the black market, and every player lost to it, should be a reason for concern to policymakers and anti-gambling advocates.

The BGC estimates that presently, the illegal gambling market in the United Kingdom is worth £17bn in 2025 and could potentially hit £33bn by 2028, meaning that one in five wagers is actually placed through unlicensed operators.

"But if we are serious about protecting consumers, we must also be serious about confronting the growing threat posed by the criminal gangs operating the illegal gambling market," the BGC and Hurst explained.

The trade group once again insisted that the conversation around gambling policy too often focuses only on restricting regulated operators but has failed to consider what happens when customers are fed up with the limited options they face locally.

"History shows that consumers do not stop gambling because of increased regulation, product restrictions, or outright bans. Many seek alternatives," the BGC reminded.

Illegal gambling operators, referring to the offshore operators targeting UK citizens without licenses, have structural deficits when it comes to player protection, the BGC added, arguing that those websites did not participate in self-exclusion schemes such as GAMSTOP, and they failed in other areas such as age verification, customer protection, or anti-money laundering checks.

Events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup are further drivers of illegal gambling activity.

Policymakers ought to ask themselves how to make the regulated market more attractive

The BGC has acknowledged the progress made by the government so far as well: "This challenge requires a coordinated response. The Government's Illegal Gambling Taskforce is a welcome step forward, but it must be matched by practical action."

Earlier this month, the BGC produced a five-step action plan that seeks to address these concerns and ensure that the government is working towards resolving the outstanding problem of illegal gambling.

The BGC similarly suggests that too much of the effort has been spent on the legal vs the illegal market, but instead, it should focus on asking a simple question - how to make players stick around and play at licensed operators instead.

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