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Gambling Commission concludes four-part study on black market

Steve HoareNovember 7, 20250182 views

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published the last out of a part-four series on its approach towards the black market.

While comprehensive, the Yonder Consulting-conducted report did recognise some of the caveats that obstruct the exact estimate of the prominence of the online black market in the UK.

Consumer awareness, drivers, and motivations
To understand the current trends better, the UKGC attempted to first build a profile of the typical black market player with part one of its study, published on 18 September.

With the agreement that it shouldn’t be treated as representative of all those who gamble online, the study outlined four typical characteristics of the users that engage with illegal gambling.

These are generally men, between the age of 18 and 24, who are active gamblers, and who usually rank eight or above on the PGSI problem gambling scale. They typically go to the black market to bet on football, for online bingo, or to play online fruit or slot games.

The motivation behind going out of their way to find illegal sites are most often better odds and offers, games unavailable elsewhere, access to alternative payments like crypto, no stake limits, and a low entry barrier – meaning weak ID or financial checks.

Still, the majority of responses painted illegal gambling as “supplementary rather than exclusive”, meaning people favoured more time and money spent on licensed websites.

Interestingly, however, this seemed to contradict another key highlight – the Commission established that players generally had low levels of awareness of the illegal iGaming market, with responses denying illegal play but indicating differently elsewhere, and vice versa.

Furthermore, only a minority of people was able to name specific black market operators – “numerous” responses named licensed providers as such. Almost all, however, responded that having a licence in the UK is important.

In conclusion, the first part of the Commission’s report found a “disconnect between perceived license importance, understanding if an operator is licensed, and knowledge of how to verify that”.

For the second part of its report, the regulator measured consumers’ rates of engagement with the online black market. Between May 2024 and July 2025, a total of 1,000 unique black market websites were identified, but “no overall increase in engagement in Great Britain”, the Commission stated.

Disruption strategies
Part three highlighted the three tactics that the gambling authority is utilising to hit the black market where it hurts the most. These are Regulation and Investigation (RI), Technological Advances (TA), and Marketing Strategy (MS).

RI includes legal and enforcement measures, such as cross-border collaboration with other institutions, tracking of illegal websites, blocking of such websites, and blocking payments to them, among others.

TA, meanwhile, focuses on eradicating the tools that black market operators are utilising to avoid scrutiny, such as indexing manipulation, VPN use, AI to evade detection, and URL concealment.

Lastly, MS deals with disrupting advertisers and affiliates based in the UK, enforcing advertising standards through the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), as well as in-depth analysis of SEO marketing.

Estimating the size of the online black market
The latest and final chapter in this four-part study uncovers the three approaches that the UKGC is taking to estimate just how prominent the black market is.

Through the dwell-time approach, the regulator estimates average engagement and time-spent-on-site data – but it largely relies on assumptions, and each additional assumption adds additional margins for error, the UKGC recognised.

The channelisation approach involves comparing engagement rates with the legal and illegal market, but the caveat here is also the need for multiple assumptions.

With the third approach, the UKGC bets on survey-based data. However, this can also often lead to misrepresented assumptions.

All in all, the conclusion was that illegal online gambling is “clandestine” and its exact size often changes and almost always remains in the shadows, with participation rates diluted by a wide range of consumer behaviours.

Reflecting on the latest findings and painting the way forward, Ben Haden, UKGC Director of Research and Statistics, commented: “We have set out areas of work to focus upon. By breaking down the challenge into its constituent parts, it is possible to see a pathway to making an estimate that is fit for purpose.

“Getting there will also need input from operators – data on the legal market will help us strengthen assumptions and update our evidence base. We are looking forward to further conversations to clarify what we need and how operators can help.

“While the exercise of trying to understand the macro-metric of the size of the illegal market is important, the generation of trend data – and insight into specific websites to target disruption activity, is arguably even more vital. We are pleased we are now able to better understand these trends and supply key operational data to our Enforcement Team.”

KSA Chair: Suicide prevention must have role in Dutch gambling’s redesign

iGamingExpertNovember 6, 20250187 views

Dutch operators must accept “the human cost of gambling addiction” as the defining factor in strengthening consumer safeguards, according to Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) Chairman Michel Groothuizen.

Reflecting on his recent visit to Anonieme Gokkers (Gamblers Anonymous NL), Groothuizen revealed that the charity had tracked 113 suicides directly linked to gambling debt, underscoring the deep personal and social harm that can follow gambling addiction.

“If there’s one thing I took away from that evening, it’s the certainty that the appeal of gambling for former addicts will always remain and that perseverance is a daily struggle,” he said.

Dutch health authorities report 1,878 suicides annually from roughly 50,000 attempts, with loneliness, family breakdown, and mental-health issues among the key factors. Citing Swedish research, Groothuizen stressed that gambling addicts face a 15-times higher suicide risk than the general population, adding that “loneliness and lack of perspective often play a major role — in a phenomena with which gambling addicts are so familiar.”

CRUKS– 100,000 registrations

Groothuizen’s comments follow confirmation that the CRUKS (Central Register for Self-Exclusion from Gambling) system has surpassed 100,000 registrations.

While acknowledging that the number reflects a worrying level of dependency, he described the milestone as “a sign that self-protection tools are working” and providing at-risk consumers with “a tangible route back to control.”

Under Groothuizen’s leadership, the KSA is widening its focus beyond market oversight to include consumer education, early intervention, and addiction prevention as equal priorities. The regulator has launched public awareness campaigns to promote the Gambling Counter helpline and to encourage wider use of CRUKS as part of a proactive harm-reduction strategy.

The KSA continues to refine its approach to player protection and operator compliance, taking on feedback about involuntary Cruks registration and improving communication around exclusion procedures. Groothuizen emphasised that effective supervision “depends on empathy and consistency — not only enforcing the rules but understanding what drives people to harm.”

Since beginning his chairmanship, Groothuizen has prioritised stronger duty-of-care obligations for all licence holders urging operators to move beyond box-ticking compliance and demonstrate genuine accountability for player welfare. The regulator expects operators to conduct one-to-one checks with customers, assess risk behaviours in real time, and ensure customer service teams receive targeted training to identify signs of vulnerability and potential harm.

This renewed focus, Groothuizen said, reflects the KSA’s intent to build a culture of proactive intervention, where operators act as the first line of defence in preventing gambling addiction and related harms.

A call for holistic support

The Netherlands’ emerging gambling regime aims to bridge regulation, prevention, and recovery through a coordinated support network involving health bodies, addiction charities, and state agencies. Groothuizen said the KSA will intensify cooperation with organisations such as 113 Suicide Prevention and Anonieme Gokkers, ensuring that gamblers in crisis are not left isolated.

“Regulation alone cannot restore lives,” he concluded. “Our responsibility is to ensure that every person who struggles with gambling knows there is help, hope, and a path forward.”

Groothuizen further believes that compassion and understanding must guide the next phase of revisions to the Remote Gambling Act (KOA), which will be undertaken by the incoming government. He urged policymakers to look beyond political ideology and ensure that any reform “carries the ultimate objective of protecting those at risk of suicide and the most vulnerable from gambling — the greatest human cost of any gambling regime.”

Minnesota AG resends C&D orders to 14 unlicensed operators

SBC AmericasNovember 5, 20250136 views

Minnesota is the latest state to take action against unlicensed sweepstakes casinos and offshore operators.

On Wednesday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his office resent a round of cease and desist orders to 14 unlicensed operators accepting customers in the state. Ellison is targeting online sweepstakes casinos and offshore operators for violating Minnesota consumer protection laws related to fraud and deceptive practices.

“Illegal online casinos and sweepstakes sites make big promises but deliver only risk to Minnesota consumers,” said Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. “Most are based outside the U.S. to avoid laws, regulation and enforcement measures. There’s no accountability, no protection for players and no way to know if the betting will be run fairly.”

Minnesota’s active gaming laws

The Attorney General is demanding that the operators exit Minnesota, as online gambling is prohibited in the state. Minnesota’s active ga..

Argentina to begin roll-out of new advertising rules for online gambling

Steve HoareNovember 5, 20250141 views

Argentina is introducing new federal legislation on gambling advertising, setting out rules designed to protect young audiences and vulnerable consumers.

Following months of debate in the Chamber of Deputies, the Ministry of Economy confirmed through the Official Gazette that the first stage of the framework has been approved. The new rules define how gambling and betting products may be advertised across the country’s 23 provinces and 1,170 municipalities.

This morning the official gazette of the Ministry of the Economy, confirmed that initial measures have been agreed to govern the advertising of gambling products/services on Argentine media platforms, TV, radio, and social media influencers.

Under the new regulation, gambling advertisements must be concise, factual and limited to essential information, avoiding any exaggerated or misleading claims.

All advertisements are now required to include two mandatory warnings:

“Compulsive gambling is harmful to your health”

“For +18 customers”

These warnings must appear in the lower section of the advertisement, using a minimum font size of four millimeters and accounting for at least 5% of the total height of the ad. The media must ensure that changes have been applied to advertising content by 30 November.

In audio-visual formats, they must remain visible for no less than five seconds, while in radio adverts they must be read clearly, without background music, and at a natural speaking pace.

The Secretariat of Industry and Commerce, which drafted the regulation, explained that the objective is to ensure clarity and transparency rather than overwhelm consumers with unreadable text or excessive fine print:

“By drowning consumers in too much information, advertisers risk leading them to make irrational or incorrect decisions. Presenting too many details in an unreadable format, or too briefly, can result in essential information being ignored.”

For the first time, the new advertising code extends to influencers and digital content creators who promote gambling or betting platforms — a decision prompted by growing concern over the spread of gambling-related content online.

As reported by SBC Noticias, concerns about gambling addiction were first raised by the Buenos Aires Executive, after public health and education authorities found that 34% of minors had gambled despite existing age-verification checks.

In response, Jorge Macri, Chief of Government of Buenos Aires, suspended the issuance of new gambling licences, insisting that stricter rules were needed to protect minors and regulate advertising.

The Buenos Aires measures increased pressure on national lawmakers to act at a federal level, but the Chamber of Deputies missed its legislative target due to the provincial election calendar across Argentina in 2025.

Resolution 446/2025 now stands as the most tangible step in Argentina’s long-awaited reform process, paving the way for wider federal oversight through five civic committees responsible for public health, communications, criminal legislation, social action and youth welfare.

The new framework has been welcomed as a step forward for consumer protection and responsible gambling in some corners. However, skeptics feel that the measures remain too light-touch, focusing primarily on disclosure and presentation rules rather than robust enforcement or support programmes for at-risk groups.

For now, Argentina’s gambling sector enters a period of transition — one in which federal advertising rules will become mandatory, though their effectiveness in reducing youth exposure and gambling-related harm remains uncertain.

Iceland calls for new gambling supervision against unlicensed websites

Steve HoareNovember 5, 20250182 views

The Althing of Iceland has been urged to consider drastic reforms on how gambling is supervised and governed, as concerns mount over public health, online exposure, and the lack of state oversight on illegal gambling.

Calls for change follow the Ministry of Health’s new agreement with SÁÁ, the national addiction-treatment association, which for the first time provides state-funded therapy for gambling addiction – a condition that is recognised as a growing public concern.

The move has reignited debate over Iceland’s legal inconsistencies on gambling, that have been overlooked for more than two decades without reform.

No oversight of harms
Health Minister Alma D. Möller described gambling addiction as a “major social and public health problem”, warning that Icelanders are reported to be spending around ISK 36bn (€250m) per-year on unlicensed online gambling websites.

The figure highlights the limited market reach of Iceland’s two licensed operators — Íslensk Getspá /Getraunir and the University of Iceland Lottery, and confirms that most Icelandic players wager through unlicensed, foreign-based websites with no interaction with the state-owned enterprises.

The liabilities are well known, yet enforcement remains minimal. There are no penalties for media outlets that promote unlicensed websites or payment providers or banks who process transactions for offshore gambling companies.

Observers note that advertising for international betting brands is routinely displayed to Icelandic citizens via international media, with no consequence.

New regulator needed
Lawmakers and civil-society groups, including Samtök áhugafólks um spilafíkn (SÁS), are now calling for the creation of a single national supervisory authority to oversee gambling activity, enforce advertising rules and fund harm-reduction programmes.

Critics argue that Iceland’s current framework, chiefly the Lotteries Act No. 38/2005, is outdated and unable to address the realities of digital gambling and cross-border payments.

Push for control
Minister Möller said the government must “look at how neighbouring countries regulate this activity” and ensure that public health and consumer protection remain central to any legislative review.

“To take money from an industry that exploits addiction and can have such severe consequences is simply not morally acceptable,” Möller said.

Parliamentary discussions are expected before the end of the year, with MPs weighing whether Iceland should introduce a unified gambling regulator, tighter advertising controls, and stronger inter-ministerial cooperation on financial monitoring, media accountability and addiction support.

UKGC slaps NetBet with £650k penalty over AML breaches

Steve HoareNovember 5, 20250182 views

UK licence holder NetBet Enterprises Ltd has paid £650,000 to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) after an investigation into anti-money laundering (AML) failures.

A statement from the regulator stated that the company, operator of online gambling provider NetBet UK, agreed to a settlement with the Commission after an investigation revealed social responsibility breaches as well as AML shortcomings as well.

List of AML failures
As listed in the statements, the AML failures included a lack of adequate customer financial controls, which led to a number of customers wagering “disproportionally to their net income”.

This then led to examples where a customer’s significant gambling activity would constitute harmful behaviour, but where the operator also failed to intervene – essentially marking these players as “low-risk”.

NetBet’s AML and anti-terrorist financing assessments also failed to recognise key factors when assessing gambling spend, such as “the management of third-party business relationships” and “controls of third-country nationals living in the UK”, the UKGC added.

List of social responsibility failures
On the social responsibility side, the investigation found that NetBet failed to recognise general markers of harm, such as overnight play and escalating deposits, in a timely manner – but only after a manual review was conducted.

Following on from the earlier point about cascading gambling activity, the UKGC assessed that the operator lacked “effective customer interaction systems” that minimise the risk for customers.

Lastly, it was also found that NetBet had submitted “inaccurate information” when filing its regulatory return forms. SBC News has reached out to NetBet for a comment.

UKGC extra vigilant as 2025 nears end
As per the settlement, the UKGC reported that the £650,000 paid by NetBet will be used to fund social responsibility causes.

John Pierce, UKGC Director of Enforcement, said: “This case highlights the serious consequences of failing to meet anti-money laundering and social responsibility obligations.

“We expect all operators to take note and ensure their systems are not only well-designed but are working effectively to protect consumers and to keep crime out of gambling.

“The operator was instructed to take immediate action and make significant improvements to its systems and controls. This included strengthening their risk assessments, improving how they identify and respond to indicators of harm, and ensuring the accuracy of the data they report to us.

“Alongside the £650,000 financial penalty, the operator is also required to commission an independent audit of its policies, procedures, and controls to ensure the necessary improvements they have implemented are properly embedded and remain effective in practice.

“Our focus is on ensuring operators meet the standards we expect, and where they fall short, we will intervene.”

In recent weeks, the UKGC has been ramping up its enforcement of AML regulations, already leading up to several high-profile cases.

Earlier in October, Platinum Gaming, which operates FDJ United-owned Unibet in the UK, was issued a whopping £10m penalty over similar social responsibility and AML failures.

The AML clampdown is not limited to just iGaming, however, with the Victoria Gate Casino in Leeds getting its licence suspended whilst the regulator undertakes a review of its AML standards.

All of the above goes to show that the UKGC is not messing around when it comes to financial compliance and regulatory penalties – something that both iGaming and land-based operators should take at heart given the expected tax increases in next year’s Budget.

MGCB imposes new safeguards amid NBA’s latest gambling scandal

SBC AmericasNovember 4, 20250165 views

The NBA’s latest alleged gambling scandal spurred the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) to ensure it is fostering a safe and fair environment for players across the state.

The MGCB announced new regulatory safeguards to prevent fraud and protect consumers following the revelation of a new gambling controversy for the NBA. Last month, three former and current NBA players were implicated by the FBI in alleged gambling schemes.

The NBA personnel allegedly had ties to Mafia-backed rigged poker games and illegal sports betting, leading to a years-long FBI investigation and their arrests.

The three NBA personnel implicated in the league’s latest gambling controversy are Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncy Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers guard and assistant coach Damon Jones.

“This case is a wake-up call for the entire industry,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “We must remain vigilant, adaptive and committed to protecting the in..

NCAA asks Kalshi to keep its distance from college sports body

SBC AmericasNovember 4, 20250157 views

The NCAA has written to Kalshi to ask the prediction markets company to stop implying a close relationship with the college sports governing body, noting that it is concerned about suffering reputational harm as a result.

“It has been brought to our attention that Kalshi uses the language ‘Outcome verified from NCAA’ (with a hyperlink to NCAA.COM.),” wrote NCAA SVP and Chief Legal Officer Scott Bearby in a letter sent to Kalshi on Oct. 30.

NCAA worried Kalshi’s implications will harm them

“The NCAA is concerned that this language will imply to the consuming public that the NCAA has some relationship with Kalshi which involves the NCAA ‘verifying’ or ‘approving’ data for Kalshi. Given the NCAA’s stance on sports betting, this could cause significant harm to the value and goodwill of the NCAA brand.”

Bearby asked Kalshi to amend its language to something “which clearly reflects the reality of the relationship,” such as “Outcome sourced from NCAA.COM.” The NCAA also wants Kalshi to a..

Malta backed against a wall as EU court closes in on Bill 55 dilution

iGamingExpertNovember 4, 20250159 views

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has revealed the significant lengths that EU Courts could extend to in a bid to strengthen action against Malta operators.

It’s a case that may shift the tide in terms of governance and regulation across Europe and Malta – with EU courts taking on the regulatory ringfencing of Bill 55.

According to the Advocate General (AG) of the ECJ, the framework could shift to dilute the effectiveness of Bill 55 when it comes to Malta safeguarding its domestic operators.

In a significant referral, the Advocate General has put forward the case to enable international authorities to freeze the assets of Malta-based companies in the event of local breaches.

The Advocate General has outlined that the European Account Preservation Order (EAPO) Regulation could well be utilised to enforce asset freezes

The focus on the bill was enhanced by the case of the two Austrian players who filed claims against Malta-based and licensed firms. A Maltese court sought to overrule the decision of an Austrian court over whether gaming operators in Malta should compensate Austrian players.

Courts in Austria both backed the players, with the Austrian framework currently citing any overseas operator as being illegal in the country if it does not hold a local licence.

Maltese courts and the two operators emphasised the free market and EU laws enabling free movements of services, illegitimising the original Austrian decision in the eyes of the Maltese legal system.

The MGA has consistently argued that the bill is in place to protect Maltese operators from “baseless legal challenges”.

Malta’s regulatory body has previously stated that it wants to ensure “its licensees are allowed to operate where they have a justifiable legal reason to do so, and always in a compliant manner.”

The latest statement from the Advocate General does underpin growing tension from Europe towards the way Bill 55 is utilised as it looks to change the framework around its implementation.

The Advocate General is seeking to implement tweaks to the bill to strengthen the ability of domestic EU courts to ensure their citizens can take legislative action against Maltese operators.

Central to the recommended changes is the ability of EU courts to be allowed to freeze the assets of Maltese gambling companies to aid debt recovery and bypass Bill 55.

Some of the most vocal disdain towards Bill 55 has come from Germany, with the national regulator, the GGL consistently calling for a reassessment of the impact it has on the sector.

Previously, the GGL has stated: “We are of the opinion that this law should not be compatible with European requirements for the recognition of decisions (Regulation (EU) 1215/2002).

“However, the final assessment of this question is not the responsibility of the GGL. We have informed the federal states of our assessment and are otherwise in contact with the relevant authorities.”

The court battles over the future of Bill 55 now look set to rumble on into 2026, in what could prove to be a decisive year for the future of the regulation and its impact on the gambling industry.

Luxembourg favours state monopoly as gambling reform debate awaits settlement

Steve HoareNovember 4, 20250157 views

Luxembourg appears to be at a crossroads as to how its gambling market will be regulated, with ministers divided between market liberalisation or the reintroduction of a full state-controlled monopoly under its 48-year-old gambling law.

Political concerns over gambling addiction in the Grand Duchy have grown in 2025, due to the ease of online gambling being promoted to citizens of Luxembourg via foreign media networks and internet service providers (ISPs).

Deliberations in October saw Dan Biancalana of the Luxembourg Socialist Party call on the government to curb the spread of interactive gaming machines in cafés and update restrictions on online betting and casino platforms..

In response, Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue confirmed that reform is underway to grant exclusive rights to the National Lottery and the country’s sole casino, Casino 2000, in Mondorf-les-Bains.

Under the proposal, cafés would be limited to National Lottery-operated terminals, with all other gaming devices including skill-based machines prohibited. On online gambling, the government is considering whether to allow the casino to operate a licensed platform, while assessing technical implications under European law on geo-blocking and player protection.

“According to European case law, you can create such a monopoly, but then you must protect your citizens,” Margue told parliament, adding that “complex discussions are ongoing with all concerned parties” to determine the scope of reform.

National media outlets report that the Justice Ministry has begun consultations with the National Lottery, Casino 2000, and other ministries on the structure of a potential state-run monopoly to control both retail and online gambling channels.

Currently, Luxembourg’s gambling activity remains limited to the Loterie Nationale and Casino 2000, with proceeds from lottery and sports betting supporting social and cultural projects through the Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte.

While European law allows for a monopoly system in gambling, Luxembourg must demonstrate that it can engineer such a model to serve in the “public-interest objectives of harm prevention and consumer protection” — rather than state revenue generation.

The monopoly debate continues reforms initiated earlier this year, when the Justice Ministry initiated discussions to overhaul the 1977 Gambling Law,, to combat illegal and unlicensed betting. The new framework aims to address unregulated machines in restaurants and adapt to the “realities and challenges of the 21st century.”

However, PM Luc Frieden has so stood on the sidelines of the debate, emphasising awareness and player responsibility over restrictive legislation. He highlighted the National Lottery’s responsible-gambling measures, including transparent odds, betting limits, and educational campaigns about the social and psychological consequences of gambling.

Sports betting has been legal only since 2009 and is offered exclusively via LoterieSport.lu, a subsidiary of Loterie Nationale launched in 2024 — at the time promoted by the government as “the safest and most secure environment for Luxembourg nationals to gamble on”

The ongoing parliamentary debate has outlined a potential hybrid framework, preserving state control through the National Lottery while granting a single, regulated online concession to Casino 2000.

Another scenario under review would see Luxembourg ring-fence its licensing system, issuing a limited number of permits for specific gambling activities. However, such an approach could conflict with EU competition and single-market principles, particularly around free movement of services and market access.

2026 will reveal whether policymakers favour state stewardship as the most effective path to curb addiction and illegal play — or whether a more open, competitive licensing model aligned with wider European trends ultimately prevails.