TLDR
- The Gambling Commission published new survey data on illegal gambling website use on 5 November.
- 94.4% of respondents showed no sign of using an illegal gambling website.
- Among online gamblers, 2.5% used an illegal site in the past four weeks.
- Use was higher among men and younger adults, especially those aged 18 to 24.
- The regulator also launched an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard.
The Gambling Commission has released new estimates on how many people in Great Britain use illegal gambling websites. The figures came out on 5 November. They are part of the regulator’s push to build better evidence and disrupt illegal markets.
The data comes from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain. It uses a new set of questions to judge whether a person is likely to be using an illegal site. This includes people who may not realise the site is illegal.
What the Survey Found
Most respondents showed no sign of using an illegal gambling website. The figure was 94.4% across the whole population, including people who do not gamble. The Commission described overall engagement as low and stable.
About 0.6% of respondents had used an illegal gambling website in the past four weeks. Another 0.4% had used one in the past 12 months, but not in the past four weeks.
The numbers rise when looking only at online gamblers. Among people who gambled online in the past 12 months, 2.5% had used an illegal site in the past four weeks. A further 1.5% had used one in the past year, but not in the past four weeks.
Men were more likely than women to engage with illegal gambling websites. Younger adults also showed higher use over the past 12 months. This was most common among those aged 18 to 24.
The pattern was a little different for the past four weeks. Engagement in that period was more evident among 25 to 34-year-olds.
Regulator Comments and Related Research
Sue Young, Executive Director for Operations at the Gambling Commission, spoke about the findings. She said the regulator wants to “kick crime out of gambling.” She added that illegal gambling poses risks to consumers.
Young said a group of online gamblers does use these sites. She said research suggests people who use illegal operators are more likely to experience harm.
She also said the new data will help guide work to protect consumers. The Commission plans to work with government, industry, technology firms and financial services to disrupt crime.
The Commission published an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard with the survey. The dashboard will track trends in engagement. It will also show the effect of the regulator’s disruption work.
The survey results add to two recent research publications. One looked at what motivates people to use illegal gambling websites. The other analysed financial transaction data to understand consumer behaviour.
Those studies found that motivations vary. No single factor explains why people use illegal operators, according to the Commission.
The research supports the Commission’s aim to be an evidence-led regulator focused on outcomes. It says its policy and enforcement work should rely on the best available data.
The findings were published alongside the Commission’s CEO Briefing event. Industry leaders attended to discuss progress and emerging priorities. They also covered the latest evidence on illegal gambling.
