Illegal betting traffic surges despite UK enforcement crackdown
New research suggests black-market betting engagement continues to grow even as regulators intensify disruption efforts.
Key takeaways
- Monthly traffic to unlicensed betting websites used by British consumers increased from 1.8m unique visits in 2022 to more than 25m in 2025.
- Illegal operators attracted 19.4 visits for every 100 visits to licensed betting sites during the first seven months of 2026.
- Average visit duration on illegal betting sites increased by 32 per cent between October 2024 and July 2026.
- The Gambling Commission has issued more than 3,100 disruption notices and secured the removal of almost 288,000 URLs since April 2024.
- The IFHA report argues that success should be measured by sustained reductions in illegal gambling traffic rather than the volume of enforcement actions.
Traffic to illegal betting websites used by British consumers has increased sharply in recent years, according to new research from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Crime. The findings suggest that unlicensed operators continue to attract growing levels of consumer engagement despite increased enforcement activity and regulatory changes affecting the licensed gambling market.
UK.- Monthly traffic to unlicensed betting websites used by British consumers surged from 1.8m unique visits in 2022 to more than 25m in 2025, according to new research published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ (IFHA) Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Crime.
The study examined traffic across more than 300 betting websites used in Britain, covering 74 licensed operators and 227 illegal or unlicensed sites. Its findings suggest the black market has continued to expand despite heightened enforcement activity and a series of regulatory reforms affecting the legal gambling sector. According to the report, illegal operators attracted 19.4 visits for every 100 visits to licensed betting websites during the first seven months of 2026, meaning nearly one in five visits were directed to unlicensed platforms.
Engagement levels on those sites have also increased. Between October 2024 and July 2026, average visit duration rose by 32 per cent, climbing from five minutes and 38 seconds to seven minutes and 25 seconds. Over the same period, the average number of pages viewed during each visit increased by 34 per cent, rising from 5.19 to 6.98.
The research also tracked 32 illegal and unlicensed operators that offer betting on British horseracing and had been included in an earlier IFHA study. Between January and July 2026, those websites attracted 6.8 visits for every 100 visits to licensed operators, almost seven times higher than the 0.97 ratio recorded in late 2021.
The findings come despite a significant increase in action against the black market by the Gambling Commission. Since April 2024, the regulator has issued more than 3,100 cease-and-desist or disruption notices and secured the removal of almost 288,000 URLs. However, the report noted that traffic to illegal betting sites remains substantially above levels recorded in 2021.
The study arrives at a time when licensed operators are adapting to a range of regulatory and tax changes introduced following the government’s 2023 Gambling White Paper. While the legal market has experienced mixed performance, betting on live sporting events has come under pressure. The British Horseracing Authority notes that online racing turnover has fallen by more than £2bn from its peak in the 2021-22 period. Online casino products, by contrast, have proved more resilient and have continued to show signs of growth.
Researchers argued that the results demonstrate a need for a broader and more coordinated response involving government, industry stakeholders, payment providers and technology companies. The report contends that efforts should be judged by long-term reductions in illegal gambling traffic rather than simply the volume of enforcement actions or the number of blocked websites.
The issue has become an increasingly prominent policy focus. The Gambling Commission received an additional £26m in funding through the 2025 Budget to support action against illegal gambling, while the Department for Culture, Media and Sport established its Illegal Gambling Taskforce in January 2026. Over the summer, the government also launched a consultation on proposals to prohibit sponsorship and advertising by unlicensed operators.
Commenting on the findings, British Horseracing Authority chief executive Brant Dunshea said the industry’s warnings about the unintended consequences of gambling reforms appeared to be materialising.
“Throughout the Gambling Act Review, British racing consistently warned that even well-intentioned policy changes could have unintended consequences for our sport, including driving more customers towards the illegal market,” he said. “This research provides worrying evidence that those concerns are now being realised, with an increasing number of consumers seemingly conducting their betting with illegal operators.
“Every racing customer who moves from a licensed operator to an illegal one faces greater risks and fewer consumer protections. These unlicensed businesses also contribute nothing to British racing or to the public finances. We recognise the Commission’s recent increase in enforcement activity, but we will be sharing these findings with Government and urging it to work with us to keep bettors within the regulated market as this leakage continues to grow.
“While the taskforce’s creation was welcomed as a positive development, it is over nine months since that initial announcement was made, and progress so far has been limited. We therefore look forward to working with the new Gambling Minister, Vicky Foxcroft, to inject some urgency into this process”.
FAQs
How much has traffic to illegal betting sites increased in Britain?
The study found monthly unique visits to illegal and unlicensed betting websites rose from 1.8m in 2022 to more than 25m in 2025.
What share of betting website traffic goes to illegal operators?
According to the report, illegal operators received 19.4 visits for every 100 visits to licensed betting websites during the first seven months of 2026.
What enforcement action has the Gambling Commission taken?
Since April 2024, the regulator has issued more than 3,100 cease-and-desist or disruption notices and secured the removal of almost 288,000 URLs linked to illegal gambling activity.
Why is British horseracing concerned about illegal gambling?
The British Horseracing Authority argues that bettors using illegal operators lose access to regulated consumer protections, while unlicensed businesses contribute nothing to racing funding or public finances.
What solutions does the report propose?
Researchers call for a coordinated response involving government, regulators, payment providers, technology companies and industry stakeholders, with a focus on reducing illegal gambling traffic over the long term.
