Illegal online gambling generated around $50bn in gross revenue in 2025, according to a Fincord Intelligence study cited by the UK Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).
Fincord estimates that roughly 5,000 operator structures used over 15,000 sites and apps to reach players. Mirror sites, VPNs and browser-based apps help them bypass blocks quickly. Some operators actively target users who closed accounts through official self-exclusion systems. One example: Non-GamStop casinos marketed to people who locked themselves out through Gamstop in the UK. Traffic arrives via search engines, social media, affiliates, influencers, Telegram and WhatsApp.
Unlicensed platforms compete by removing limits: deposit bonuses up to 500%, fast withdrawals, no caps. Cryptocurrency accounts for about 35% of black-market payments; Fincord forecasts growth to 70% by 2030.
Ukraine-based Fincord flagged links between some illegal platforms and Russia. Researchers believe certain operators may work directly or indirectly for Russian economic interests.
Fincord is calling on governments to strike infrastructure rather than individual domains: payment processing, crypto intermediaries, affiliates, advertisers, software suppliers, hosting. "Illegal gambling is no longer a scatter of isolated sites," a Fincord representative said. "You have to cut the ecosystem keeping them afloat."
Grainne Hurst, BGC chief executive, backed the call for authorities to increase pressure. The Non-GamStop case shows a real threat to British players, she said. "Illegal operators deliberately target vulnerable clients, including the self-excluded. Government must coordinate police, regulators, payment processors and tech companies — and hit networks, not sites one by one."
