Around 4% of online gamblers in Great Britain showed indicators of using illegal gambling websites over a 12-month period, according to new research published by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) on 5 November 2026. The findings introduce a new method of measuring black-market engagement and accompany an updated dashboard tracking illegal sites, affiliate activity and enforcement.
An estimated 2.5% of online gamblers showed signs of illegal website use within the previous four weeks, with another 1.5% indicating use earlier in the past year.
Across all survey respondents, including non-gamblers, 0.6% showed indicators of use within four weeks and a further 0.4% within 12 months.
The regulator identified 586 accessible illegal gambling websites and 97 related affiliate pages in September 2026.
Enforcement actions targeted 311 illegal websites during the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
The findings draw on Gambling Survey for Great Britain data collected between April 2025 and April 2026. Rather than asking respondents simply whether they visited an unlicensed gambling site, researchers developed an Illegal Gambling Index based on seven self-reported behaviours.
Indicators include deliberately accessing websites outside GAMSTOP, using a VPN to reach gambling sites otherwise unavailable in Great Britain, wagering with cryptocurrency and joining platforms to avoid identity verification.
The UKGC’s official Phase 4 research explains that these indicators carry different levels of confidence. The figures should therefore be understood as estimates of potential engagement, not confirmed counts of consumers using illegal operators.
Across the wider survey population, 94.4% showed no indication of illegal-site engagement, while 4.6% displayed limited indicators insufficient for a confident classification.
Engagement indicators were more common among men and younger adults. Those aged 18–24 featured more prominently in 12-month estimates, while recent engagement was more evident among 25–34-year-olds.
Alongside the survey, the Commission published an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard showing 586 illegal gambling domains identified as accessible to British consumers in September. That was 4% above September 2025, although 4% below the preceding three-month average.
Monitoring also identified 97 affiliate webpages linking to illegal gambling sites, down 26% against the previous three-month average. Around 4% of results for monitored gambling-related Google searches led to illegal operators.
The figures build on Ace Alliance’s previous reporting about the UKGC’s efforts to hold suppliers and affiliates accountable for supporting unlicensed platforms.
The regulator reported disruption activity against 311 websites in the second quarter of 2026/27, up 38% quarter-on-quarter. Among sites with sufficient follow-up data, 77% recorded lower estimated traffic after intervention.
Sue Young, the UKGC’s Executive Director for Operations, said: “We want to kick crime out of gambling.”
However, traffic reductions cannot automatically be attributed entirely to enforcement. The regulator has previously highlighted how VPN use complicates black-market monitoring, while its earlier illegal gambling research explored why some players knowingly or unknowingly use unlicensed platforms.
For licensed operators, affiliates and suppliers, the new figures provide an evidence base for assessing market leakage, marketing exposure and consumer protection. The Commission plans to refine the index as further survey waves become available.
