The European Casino Association estimated that illegal online gambling targeting EU consumers generated €91.6bn in 2025. The association said governments missed an estimated €22.9bn in tax revenue, while more than 6,200 unlicensed gambling websites and operators target customers across the bloc.
The estimates frame the scale of cross-border illegal gambling and the associated tax shortfall for EU policymakers.
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A Gaming Compliance International study for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling estimated that unregulated online gambling generated €91.6 billion in gross gambling revenue across the EU in 2025. The study put this at 72% of total online GGR and estimated €22 billion in related tax revenue was lost to unregulated operators.
Fincord Intelligence estimated that illegal online gambling generated about $50bn in gross revenue worldwide in 2025. The Betting and Gaming Council said illegal operators target UK users, including people who have self-excluded, and called for action against the services that support these networks. Fincord estimated that about 5,000 operator structures control more than 15,000 websites and apps.
The American Gaming Association estimated that Kalshi users aged 18 to 20 generated more than $8.844 billion in sports-related trading volume through 27 October, based on a 4% figure the association said Kalshi had published and later changed. The AGA argues that users aged 18 to 20 can access these markets despite age limits of 21 for sports betting in numerous US states.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimated that Kalshi users aged 18 to 20 generated more than $8.844bn in sports trading volume through 27 October. According to the AGA, the calculation rests on information that Kalshi published on its website and later changed. In that information, the AGA said, Kalshi stated that users aged 18 to 20 accounted for 4% of its trading volume.
A report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI) for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling estimated that unlicensed online gambling operators generated €91.6bn in gross gaming revenue across the EU in 2025. The report put this at 72% of a €128bn total market and estimated €22bn in lost tax revenue. It also estimated that 6,238 unregulated operators and 17,501 affiliates supported the activity.
The Gambling Commission said around 1% of Britain’s gamblers used illegal platforms as of April 2026. Its survey found 0.6% had used such platforms in the previous four weeks, while 94.4% showed no sign of use. The regulator said it would combine this baseline with other data to assess and target interventions.
By April 2026, the Commission puts illegal-platform use at roughly 1% of Britain's gamblers, and says it is overall confident of that estimate. Sue Gardner, the acting chief executive, presented this to industry leaders during the regulator's yearly CEO briefing.