Report
Illegal online gambling - Phase 1: Exploring consumer pathways into using illegal gambling websites
The Gambling Commission's report on the first phase of the Consumer Voice illegal gambling project.
Skilled Advocates
This section explores the Skilled Advocate audience in more depth, covering their reasons for using illegal gambling websites, pathways into illegal websites and wider attitudes towards these websites and regulation.
Reasons for using illegal websites
This group enjoy the variety of games and types of bets on offer, for example: new game types, new characters or languages being displayed, better odds, and free bets. This enhances their overall gambling experience.
“If I know I can find a platform with better odds, I’ll go for it. I often use free bets first and then my own money. I have several different accounts because you get daily free bets by regularly playing.”
Female, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 9
Navigating the illegal market also confers a sense of expertise, with this group enjoying employing their skills and seeking opportunities to improve their margin of success. This can feel personally rewarding to them.
“If you know how to use them and place sensible bets, these sites can be really fun to use.”
Male, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 22
This group report illegal websites having lower deposit and withdrawal thresholds, along with lower stakes. They therefore report being able to invest lower amounts when using these websites, which can create a perceived lower risk of loss.
The ability to use foreign or digital currencies can also mask the amount staked and can therefore be mentally disassociated from players’ main gambling expenses, as these currencies tend to be managed separately to mainstream currency (GBP) used for gambling on licensed websites.
Additionally, the ability to use these alternative currencies provides an opportunity to learn something new and potentially grow money through favourable exchange rates, making the use of these currencies a positive aspect rather than a drawback for some. Interestingly, this group includes self-proclaimed ‘side-hustlers’ looking for multiple ways to make money - a trend less common among those that were less aware they were gambling in the illegal market.
“I like looking at crypto. It’s something I feel I know well, and it feels good when the amount I have grows.”
Female, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 9
In private or open communities, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, and Reddit, Skilled Advocates actively share knowledge and discuss where to find the best odds. Conversations about illegal websites are common and serve to help this group improve their skillset while bringing a sense of pride from being part of an exclusive club, as well as increasing social bonding and improving their status within the group.
“I’ve met friends through Telegram and become quite close with some, even meeting up at Wetherspoons.”
Male, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 22
“You learn more about these sites from others. We show each other which sites we’re using and primarily learn from each other on Telegram.”
Male, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 22
A streamlined sign-up process (for example, requiring only an email address instead of an ID verification process) further encourages play. It also helps mitigate perceived risks of encountering difficulties with withdrawal, where there can be a perception of licensed gambling companies deliberately asking for ID to create delays.
Some individuals have experienced not being able to withdraw winnings, but this appears to be something that this group feel able to manage by betting with lower stakes and by doing research prior to using these websites. Even among this engaged group, illegal gambling is primarily peripheral to their main gambling activity, which happens on licensed websites.
Pathways into illegal websites
Public platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) are particularly popular for obtaining recommendations from other users of the online illegal market and tend to be this group’s first port of call. These are used for increasing knowledge, staying informed, and vetting illegal websites for trustworthiness.
“I like to follow the conversation and see what people are recommending on Reddit. You never know what new thing someone might find to try.”
Male, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 18
“Affiliate sites often pop up with colourful games offering deals like deposit £5 and get £30. I think Reddit gets paid for promoting these. On Reddit gambling forums, you see pop-ups of these offers.”
Female, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 9
Search engines also remain popular among this group: even if someone recommends a website, Skilled Advocates will often use Google to confirm details or to find the best odds.
Social media influencers also play a role here, albeit a limited one, compared to search engines and word of mouth. The term ‘social media influencer’ broadly encompasses prominent consumers in gambling forums, word-of-mouth communities, YouTube personalities, and podcasters. These influencers may be viewed with caution, especially in gambling forums where players are wary of fake profiles and testimonials.
“With social media it’s hard to tell who’s a scammer. If it sounds too good to be true, I steer away”
Female, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 9
Paid advertising on social media is also a pathway into the market among this group. Similarly to Self-Excluders, they report receiving large amounts of spam and offers. However, players are wary of these communication tactics, and some even provide fake email addresses to manage the influx of communications.
Proceeding with caution, these individuals are conscious of the risks of using unlicensed websites and claim to take steps to protect themselves: appearing to invest smaller, controlled amounts and looking for unlicensed websites which are known for their reliability (that is, their willingness to pay out and the speed with which they do this).
Attitudes towards unlicensed websites and regulation
Skilled Advocates are often aware of the difference between a licensed and illegal website and the risks that using illegal websites pose. However, they feel these risks are reduced by:
- the steps they take in doing their research
- looking for gambling companies that are known to pay out
- taking recommendations from trusted parties.
“As long as it has good offers or odds and I get paid, that’s the main thing. Some of them have funny names or are a bit basic but I don’t mind.”
Male, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 18
Overall, this audience tend to perceive the unlicensed market in a more positive light than other users, appreciating the combination of enjoyable gameplay, perceived lower deposit and withdrawal thresholds, and the skill required to use digital currencies.
“Unlicensed sites often have amazing pay-out withdrawal processes with low thresholds. They may not look as professional as the big players, with less text or not perfectly formatted, but that doesn’t bother me because other features are fine.”
Male, aged 25 to 34, PGSI 2
Case study
Fatima, Aged 30, PGSI 9, Skilled Advocates
Fatima has multiple income streams: including beauty treatments, language tutoring and administration. She is a sports betting enthusiast, especially cricket. She consistently checks Oddschecker for the best odds. She describes how she has a ‘strategic’ approach to sports betting and experiences some success – she claims to have been banned from Bet 365 because of big wins. She ‘invests’ in digital currencies and has several crypto-wallets believing this is also a way of making money.
Triggers
She has had unsatisfactory experiences with licensed gambling companies. She experiences boredom with the range of games and types of bets, especially for sports betting and has a fascination and growing interest in digital currencies.
“I like to invest in crypto and virtual assets but with licensed sites it’s not a thing yet”
Pathway
She heard about a greater number of (unique) games being available with unlicensed providers from a social media group. She used Reddit and X forums to identify the most reliable websites (that is, those known for paying out).
“I asked in a forum for the top 5 most reliable sites to pay out and experimented with one of them”
Experience
She has had a positive experience of play with these providers and pay-out. She remains analytical in her approach and wary of social media influencers with fake profiles who promote accounts.
“The site I initially experimented with cashed out.”
“With unlicensed sites you get a lot of spins for a small amount with bitcoin”
“With social media it’s hard to tell who’s a scammer. If it sounds too good to be true I steer away”
Outlook
She sees unlicensed websites as increasing the opportunity to make money and enhance enjoyment. She is aware of the risks of using these providers but feels they exist with licensed gambling companies too
“I’ve used unlicensed sites where I’ve made money and haven’t been paid out but I’ve had similar experiences with licensed sites too”
Names and identifying information have been changed
Self-excluders Next section
Social Explorers
Last updated: 18 September 2025
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