The Gambling Commission has published fresh estimates concerning consumer engagement with illegal gambling websites, reinforcing its ongoing regulatory drive to build robust evidence and effectively disrupt illicit markets.
Released on November 5, 2026, the new findings are integrated within the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) and are accompanied by an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard designed to track evolving trends and measure the impact of consumer protection interventions.
By deploying an innovative set of survey questions, the Commission aims to better determine whether consumers are knowingly or unknowingly interacting with unlicensed platforms, thereby deepening regulatory insight into emerging risks. Commenting on the release, Sue Young, Executive Director for Operations at the Gambling Commission, stated:
“We want to kick crime out of gambling. Illegal gambling poses risks to consumers and tackling it is a priority for the Commission and our partners. While engagement with the illegal market from an overall population perspective appears low and stable from these indicators, there is a cohort of online gamblers who use these sites and research suggests those consumers who use illegal operators are more likely to experience harm. This new data will help make sure activity to protect consumers is informed by the best available evidence which is why we will continue to work across government, industry, technology and financial services to disrupt crime and protect consumers.”
Key survey findings and demographic trends
Initial GSGB estimates reveal detailed insights into participation rates across the population:
- The proportion of people using illegal gambling websites across the entire population—including non-gamblers—remains very low, with 94.4% showing no indication of engagement.
- Approximately 0.6% of respondents reported engaging with illegal gambling websites within the preceding 4 weeks, while an additional 0.4% reported engagement within the past 12 months (excluding the last 4 weeks).
- Among individuals who actively gambled online over the past 12 months, 2.5% had engaged with illegal websites in the past 4 weeks, and 1.5% had engaged within the prior 12 months.
- Engagement levels were notably higher among males than females and demonstrated greater prevalence among younger adults, particularly those aged 18 to 24 for 12-month metrics, contrasted with 25 to 34-year-olds exhibiting higher recent activity within the 4-week window.
These insights complement recent Commission studies exploring consumer motivations and financial transaction data, confirming that consumer drivers for utilizing illegal operators are diverse and cannot be attributed to a single factor. The research publication coincided with the Commission’s CEO Briefing event, convening industry leaders to evaluate progress and review latest evidence.
