New survey data to help tackle illegal gambling and protect consumers

Building a Stronger Evidence Base Against Illicit Markets

New findings published today (5 November) as part of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) introduce an innovative set of questions designed to track consumer engagement with illegal gambling websites, whether intentional or not. Alongside an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard, these insights aim to help regulators, government agencies, and industry partners identify emerging risk patterns.

According to Sue Young, Executive Director for Operations at the Gambling Commission, the overarching goal is to kick crime out of gambling. While population-wide engagement appears low and stable, research indicates that consumers who use illegal operators face a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing gambling-related harm.

Key Findings and Demographic Trends

Initial estimates from the survey highlight specific behavioral patterns across different demographics:

Overall Population: The proportion of people using illegal websites remains low, with 94.4% showing no indication of use. About 0.6% engaged within the past 4 weeks, and 0.4% within the past 12 months.

Online Gamblers: Among those who gambled online in the past year, 2.5% used illegal gambling websites in the last 4 weeks, and 1.5% in the prior 12 months.

Demographics: Engagement was higher among males than females and more prevalent among younger adults, particularly those aged 18 to 24 (over the past 12 months) and 25 to 34 (within the past 4 weeks).

Motivations: Complementary research shows that consumer motivations are varied and cannot be attributed to a single factor.

These insights were shared alongside the Commission's CEO Briefing event, reinforcing a strategic commitment to collaborate across technology, financial services, and government to disrupt illicit operations and protect consumers.