UK Gambling Commission reports illegal gambling often supplements licensed play
Regulation1 min read
The UK Gambling Commission said its analysis of bank transaction data found no significant fall in activity with licensed operators after individuals first transacted with unlicensed gambling companies. The Commission said the dataset was not nationally representative, limiting the conclusions that could be drawn.
UKGC research found no significant fall in activity with licensed gambling operators after an individual's first recorded transaction with an unlicensed operator, researcher Steven Murphy said. The analysis compared the average number of transactions with licensed companies in the months before and after that first recorded transaction.
Murphy, a postdoctoral data science researcher, said the finding was consistent with earlier Consumer Voice research indicating that illegal gambling generally added to legal play rather than replacing it.
The research used anonymised bank transaction data from residents to identify payments to illegal gambling companies in Great Britain and examine associated financial behaviour and harms. The regulator said the approach allowed direct observation of consumer behaviour, unlike most available evidence, which relies on estimates or indirect reports.
The dataset was not nationally representative, limiting the conclusions that could be drawn, and some transactions with unlicensed operators may not have been detected.
Murphy said the UKGC would continue to expand its use of financial transaction data and was open to collaboration with banks, payment service providers and other organisations.