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UNODC estimates illegal betting reaches $1.7tn a year globally

Regulation

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said illegal gambling is a source of finance for organised crime, in a report on transnational crime in South-East Asia presented in Bangkok. It estimates annual global illegal betting turnover at between $340bn and $1.7tn, with about half linked to demand from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

UNODC’s estimate highlights the reported scale of illegal betting and its connection to organised crime for regulators and operators.

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Brazilian study estimates illegal betting operators take up to R$43.3bn a year

A study commissioned by the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming estimated that illegal operators account for 38% to 44% of betting and handle R$32.9bn to R$43.3bn annually. The report also cited an industry association’s detection of 1,689 domains classified as illegal on 26 September, including 1,197 with active betting pages. A government measure bars new deposits at licensed companies and requires their sites and apps to close from 6 October, while the association’s legal consultant criticised the measure’s reach.

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