Illegal gambling market targets self-excluded UK gamblers as revenue hits $50bn
Published on by Zena Grantham
The global illegal gambling market generated an estimated $50bn in gross revenue during 2025, according to a new report from Fincord Intelligence. The research warns that illegal operators are targeting self-excluded UK gamblers through search engines, social media and messaging platforms.
An estimated 5,000 operator structures were linked to more than 15,000 websites and apps, illustrating the scale of an illegal sector increasingly reliant on cryptocurrency, mirror domains and digital marketing.
UK gamblers registered with GAMSTOP are among those being targeted. Non-GamStop casinos are promoted through search engines, social media, affiliate websites, influencers, Telegram and WhatsApp. These channels are pushing self-excluded gamblers towards operators outside the UK’s regulated market.
The findings come amid growing concern over the scale and sophistication of the illegal gambling market. Gambling Commission research previously identified self-excluders as one of four groups engaging with illegal gambling websites.
Illegal operators targeting GAMSTOP customers
Fincord Intelligence identified search engines, affiliates, influencers and social media among the routes used to reach UK gamblers.
Many illegal online casinos advertise the absence of identity checks, financial checks and betting restrictions. Deposit bonuses can range from 300% to 500%, according to the report.
Gambling Commission research provides further evidence of how illegal operators reach self-excluded gamblers. Searches for sites outside GAMSTOP are a key route, while targeted social media advertising and direct marketing extend their reach.
GAMSTOP prevents registered customers from accessing gambling websites and apps operated by companies licensed in the UK. Unlicensed operators remain beyond GAMSTOP’s reach
A spokesperson for Fincord Intelligence said:
“Illegal gambling is no longer a collection of isolated websites. It operates through sophisticated international networks of companies, payment providers, cryptocurrency services, technology platforms and affiliates.
“In the UK, these networks target customers – including people who have self-excluded – through social media, messaging platforms and mirror sites. The Ukraine case demonstrates how the same type of interconnected infrastructure can also create wider financial crime and national security risks.
“Governments must target the infrastructure that allows these illegal ecosystems to survive, rather than relying solely on blocking individual websites.”
More than 15,000 illegal gambling websites and apps
Fincord estimates that approximately 5,000 operator structures controlled more than 15,000 websites and apps during 2025. 5,000 operator structures controlled more than 15,000 websites and apps during 2025.
Blocking individual domains has little impact on networks designed to adapt quickly. Mirror sites restore access via new web addresses, while VPNs allow bypassing geographical restrictions. Browser-based applications provide another way to maintain access when services are blocked.
The report calls for enforcement beyond individual websites, with the key focus on infrastructure sustaining illegal gambling networks. Payment services, cryptocurrency intermediaries, affiliates, advertisers, software suppliers and hosting providers are identified as key points for intervention.
Similar concerns have emerged in the UK-regulated market. The UKGC previously intervened when games supplied to licensed operators appeared on illegal websites accessible in the UK. It warned of associated risks to UK customers, including fraud, privacy breaches and unfair gambling practices.
Cryptocurrency accounts for 35% of illegal gambling transactions
Cryptocurrency accounts for approximately 35% of transactions across the illegal gambling sector, according to Fincord’s analysis. The report forecasts this proportion could exceed 70% by 2030.
BGC calls for coordinated government action
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has called for a coordinated response from government, regulators, law enforcement agencies, payment providers and technology companies.
Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said:
“This report shows illegal gambling is no longer simply a regulatory issue.
“Illegal operators are deliberately targeting vulnerable customers in the UK, including people who have self-excluded, using social media, affiliates and messaging platforms to avoid the protections of the regulated market.
“The Government must step up its efforts to coordinate law enforcement, regulators, payment providers and technology companies to target the networks supporting these operators – not just individual websites.”
Gambling Commission research highlights the connection between self-exclusion and illegal gambling. Some GAMSTOP users actively search for sites outside the scheme, while others encounter illegal operators through direct marketing and targeted advertising.
Illegal gambling networks extend beyond consumer protection
Fincord’s report extends beyond illegal gambling to examine wider financial crime and national security concerns. Ukrainian authorities have assessed links between some gambling businesses associated with the Russian Federation and Russian economic interests. These include potential sanctions circumvention and national security risks for Ukraine.
These assessments are not judicial findings, and the report does not present them as established criminal conduct.
International enforcement operations have demonstrated the connections between illegal gambling and other forms of organised crime.
During INTERPOL’s SOGA X operation around Euro 2024, authorities across 28 countries and territories made more than 5,100 arrests. More than $59m in illicit proceeds was recovered. Investigations uncovered money-laundering networks and led to trafficked workers being rescued.
Fincord’s findings highlight the complex infrastructure sustaining illegal gambling networks. Thousands of websites operate through interconnected payment services, technology providers and marketing channels. Disrupting these networks, rather than individual operators alone, is identified as a priority for future enforcement of the illegal gambling market.