At a recent roundtable event in the European Parliament, ECA Chair Erwin van Lambaart shared a report that the illegal online gambling market aimed at European Union (EU) consumers increased by around 14% year-on-year to €91.6bn (2024: €80m).
The data comes fresh off the European Commission‘s (EC) proposal to reform the mandate of Europol and elevate its data capabilities and remit when it comes to tackling cross-border crime.
As part of the reform proposed by the EC, Europol will push towards more operational capabilities, with its remit being expanded to include bringing down the illegal gambling sector.
MEP Lukas Mandl stated: “Illegal online gambling is not a niche issue, it is a serious cross-border threat that touches on consumer protection, organised crime and the integrity of our internal market.
“Europol is a cru..
