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Report

Illegal online gambling: Consumer awareness, drivers and motivations

The Gambling Commission's study into consumer awareness of the illegal online gambling market.

Published
18 September 2025

Last updated
18 September 2025 - Changes

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Contents

Overview

In partnership with the Commission, Yonder Consulting conducted a multi-phase study to identify consumers that engage with illegal gambling websites1.

Phase 1 used both quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore the different audiences engaging with illegal gambling websites. Insights from Phase 1 helped to inform and refine our approach for Phase 2, which involved conducting a quantitative survey using a larger sample size to validate the initial findings. More details of our methodology can be found in the full research reports for Phase 1 and Phase 2.

We refer to illegal gambling throughout this report, however, when conducting research with consumers we have used the term ‘unlicensed gambling’2. Feedback from our Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) highlighted that this might encourage more open discussions as some consumers may find the term ‘illegal’ stigmatising as it can imply that they are behaving unlawfully when engaging with illegal gambling websites, when in fact, it is the gambling companies that are conducting illegal activities by not complying with the law in Great Britain.

The qualitative research with consumers revealed 4 broad audience groups that engage with illegal websites. These 4 audiences have varying awareness levels of engagement with illegal websites, different entry pathways into the websites, and motivations for using them. These audiences are analogous with groups identified in discussions with representatives of affiliate platforms and payment platforms.

  1. Self-excluders: Individuals who have chosen to self-exclude from all gambling websites licensed in Great Britain by registering with GAMSTOP, and/or by using other gambling blocking schemes and/or software.
  2. Skilled Advocates: Individuals who knowingly and systematically engage with illegal websites, motivated by the desire to acquire new skills, use digital or foreign currencies and explore a variety of new game types.
  3. Social Explorers: Individuals who discover these websites through social networks and forums, often trialling them before committing to minimise risks.
  4. Accidental Tourists: Individuals who stumble upon illegal websites completely by chance, and therefore unknowingly engage with the illegal online market.

It should be noted that these 4 audience categories are based on qualitative data from Phase 1, and although Phase 2 findings validated these groups’ routes into the illegal gambling market, it is not yet possible to define the quantitative proportions of each category within the wider group of those that use illegal gambling websites. This will only be possible once further phases of this project are completed, in which data will be collected on a larger scale using the Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).

With the exception of the individuals within the Self-excluders audience, consumers mostly report using illegal websites to supplement their gambling activity on Gambling Commission-regulated websites, rather than solely using illegal ones. Key motivations include finding better odds and offers, wanting to play games that are unavailable in Great Britain, ability to use alternative payment methods (that is, not GBP), avoiding stake or spend limits, and lower barriers to entry such as minimal age or ID verification processes.

There does not appear to be a clear distinction between the demographics of consumers that gamble with legal websites compared with illegal gambling websites. As with legal gambling websites, reported engagement with illegal gambling websites also tends to be higher amongst men, younger individuals (that is, aged 18 to 24 years), those who gamble more frequently, and those who score 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Respondents most commonly reported using illegal websites to engage in online betting on football, online bingo, online fruit and slot games and virtual gaming3, followed by a range of other online betting and gambling activities as seen in the legal market.

References

1This study therefore does not include consumer engagement with illegal gambling apps, or gambling that takes place on private messaging forums or direct social media platforms.

2Initial scoping work indicated this terminology would help illicit more open responses from consumers.  

3 Including online casino style games, but not ‘social gaming’ or non-gambling games. 

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