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BGC warns illegal gambling advertising is growing in Britain

Regulation

An opinion column by Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Gráinne Hurst warned that illegal gambling operators are increasing their advertising in Britain ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The BGC cited analysis forecasting that unregulated operators could account for nearly half of UK gambling advertising spend and that illegal online betting could reach more than £33bn in 2028.

Rising illegal gambling advertising may make it harder for British consumers to distinguish licensed operators from offshore sites.

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Gambling Commission publishes illegal gambling survey estimates for Great Britain

The Gambling Commission published estimates of engagement with illegal gambling websites in Great Britain on 5 November 2026, drawing on its Gambling Survey for Great Britain. It reported that 0.6% of respondents had used such sites in the previous four weeks; among people who had gambled online in the past year, the figure was 2.5%. An updated dashboard will track engagement and the impact of disruption work.

The Gambling Commission released fresh estimates on 5 November about how far consumers engage with illegal gambling websites. The figures are drawn from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, and an updated Illegal Gambling Data Dashboard accompanied them. The dashboard is meant to follow engagement trends and the effect of disruption work.

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