BGC launches five-point plan to tackle illegal gambling black market, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has unveiled a new five-point plan. This is designed to curb the rapid growth of illegal gambling operators who target UK consumers.

The standards body represents around 90% of Britain's regulated betting and gaming sector. It’s urging government, regulators, technology firms and financial institutions to work together to tackle what it describes as a growing consumer protection threat.

The problem with illegal operators

It’s believed that around £17bn was spent with illegal gambling operators in 2025. According to forecasts from H2 Gambling Capital cited by the BGC, this could increase to more than £33bn by 2028. If those projections prove accurate, almost one in every five pounds wagered online could be placed with unlicensed operators within the next three years.

The organisation argues that, unlike licensed operators, illegal gambling sites do not provide safer gambling interventions. They don’t do age verification checks or have identity verification processes or dispute resolution mechanisms. The BGC also warned that black market operators contribute no tax revenue and provide no funding to British sport.

The five-point plan explained

At the centre of the BGC's campaign is a series of measures designed to make it more difficult for illegal operators to attract customers and process payments.

The first proposal calls for stronger action from social media platforms and technology companies to remove illegal gambling advertising. The BGC argues that black market operators increasingly use social media, search engines and online advertising to reach British consumers. This includes potentially vulnerable groups.

The second recommendation would give the Gambling Commission greater powers to block illegal gambling websites. It would also be able to remove unlicensed apps and disrupt operators more quickly.

A third measure is for payment providers. The BGC wants financial institutions to prevent transactions linked to illegal gambling businesses. Cutting off funding channels could significantly weaken black market operations.

The fourth proposal is for tougher penalties for companies that knowingly provide services to illegal operators. This includes advertising, payment processing and web hosting.

Finally, the BGC is calling for stronger criminal sanctions against those who operate or support illegal gambling businesses targeting UK customers.

Industry says consumer protection is at stake

The BGC maintains that the issue extends beyond the gambling industry. It should be looked at as a broader consumer protection challenge.

"The black market is growing fast, becoming more visible and attracting billions of pounds in stakes from British consumers." — Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council

Hurst warned that consumers who migrate to illegal operators lose access to safeguards that have become standard within the regulated market. This includes affordability checks, safer gambling tools and formal complaint procedures.

She also argued that black market operators are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They use affiliate marketing, social media platforms, search engines and encrypted communications to attract customers.

Calls for stronger enforcement

The BGC welcomed the Government's Black Market Taskforce. However, it maintains that additional action is required to address the scale of the problem. The organisation wants closer cooperation between regulators, law enforcement agencies, payment providers and technology companies to disrupt illegal operators more effectively.

It also cautioned policymakers against introducing measures that could unintentionally drive consumers away from licensed operators and towards unregulated alternatives.

Key takeaways

Here are the five proposals:

1. Shut down illegal gambling advertising.
2. Block illegal gambling websites.
3. Cut off the money by stopping transactions between UK customers and illegal operators.
4. Hold enablers accountable through penalties.
5. Increase criminal sanctions against those who run, support or profit from such operators.