BGC warns that licensed gambling ads are in decline in the UK

• BGC-commissioned survey finds that legal gambling ads are in decline in the UK
• The spending on gambling ads has continued to fall since 2021, with safer gambling messaging increasing
• All of this is contributing to empowering the black market, which continues to prey on gamblers locally

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), a trade group promoting the interests of regulated gambling companies in the United Kingdom, has released a new report in which it outlined its concerns over gambling ads by regulated operators.

Spending on responsible messaging increases, overall gambling ads decline

According to the trade group, such ads have been in steady decline, with what the BGC believes are serious implications for the size and reach of the licensed market. The BGC directly sees a link between the number of falling legal gambling ads and the loss of market share for the regulated market.

Gambling advertising accounted for 2.7% of total UK advertising spending in 2025, down from 3% in 2024, the BGC revealed, citing research it commissioned from Alvarez & Marsal (A&M).

However, this is not a blip on the radar but, rather, a continued train that has been going on since 2021, with advertising spending per licensed operator declining steadily since. Matej Novota, Casino Guru's Head of Casino Research, also weighed in:

"A decline in licensed gambling ads may look positive at first glance, but unless it is matched by an equivalent reduction in illegal online promotions, the very gains in safer, regulated play risk being undercut by an empowered black market."

A positive trend has been the increased spending on responsible gambling messaging and advertising, which has helped introduce more people to useful tools of self-control, such as deposit limits and safer gambling tools use in general.

Yet, there are clear reasons for concern. As the regulated advertising gambling market contracts, illegal gambling operators are emboldened, as noted by Grainne Hurst, the BGC’s CEO.

"By contrast, illegal operators are advertising aggressively online with no safeguards, no age checks, and no consumer protections, posing a huge risk to consumers. Any serious approach to advertising must be led by evidence and focused on tackling the harmful black market," Hurst said.

She too pointed out that gambling ad spending by authorized operators has also focused increasingly on promoting safer gambling messaging. Alvarez & Marshal Managing Director Adam Rivers also commented on the survey’s results.

"We are pleased to have worked with the BGC on this report, which offers an insight into the state of the gambling advertising and sponsorship sector in the UK, based on actual advertising expenditure data from licensed operators," Rivers explained.

A lot is changing in the UK’s gambling industry

The British gambling sector has been undergoing profound changes, with the government recently confirming that the Remote Gaming Duty will be increased to 40% from currently 21%.

A proposal by the Gambling Commission, seemingly leaked by accident, also suggests a 30% increase in the licensing fees payable by license holders. All of this has been met with skepticism by the BGC, which has argued that while licensed operators would comply, illegal operators will be the real winners in the end, as their footprint would expand due to the restrictions placed on legitimate companies.

Tim Miller, the regulator’s boss, recently warned that social media platforms are promoting offshore gambling websites, many of which target vulnerable consumers. Miller lamented the lack of proper action from commercial companies to restrict these ads.

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