GCI Report Says Illegal Online Gambling in the EU Takes Up 75% of Market

According to a study conducted by Gaming Compliance International (GCI) on behalf of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, unregulated online gambling in the European Union generated over EUR 90 billion (about $103 billion) in gross gambling revenue (GGR) last year. This equates to almost 75% of the region’s EUR 128 billion ($146 billion) online gambling market. Here Are Some Important Numbers from the Report While this is still a relatively small portion of the almost $6 trillion generated from unregulated online gambling worldwide, according to a previous GCI report, illicit online gaming has grown a lot in the past few years. The report found that unregulated GGR across the 27 EU member states increased by 74%, rising from EUR 52.6 billion ($60.4 billion) in 2023 to EUR 91.6 billion ($105.2 billion) in 2025. Unregulated gambling accounted for 72% of total online GGR in 2025, up from 67% in 2023. The study also estimated that approximately EUR 22 billion ($25.3 billion) in GGR-related tax revenue was lost to unregulated operators in 2025. In addition, it identified 6,238 unregulated online gambling operators and 17,501 affiliates actively targeting consumers across EU member states. Other key findings from the report showed that 121 million Europeans were exposed to online gambling content, with 88 million consumers accessing content through unregulated operators. Among consumers who actively interacted with online gambling content, 91% of the content they encountered promoted the unregulated sector. In addition, the report raised concerns about the promotion of unregulated gambling through illegal streams of sporting events. For example, during the FIFA World Cup, 95% of qualifying illegal sports streams viewed in Europe featured advertising for gambling operators that were not licensed in the relevant jurisdictions. What Does GCI Recommend? According to GCI (which last year bought Yeald Sec), enforcement efforts should extend beyond targeting individual unregulated gambling websites. Instead, the report argues enforcement should address the broader ecosystem that enables these operators to reach consumers. GCI also called on regulators to take a more comprehensive approach to monitoring, policing and enforcing compliance across the wider online gambling marketplace, while also optimizing regulatory oversight. The report further recommended greater cross-border coordination, including action against the infrastructure and services that support unregulated operators. GCI president Ismail Vali explained that unregulated gambling is capturing audience attention across search, social media, affiliate networks, advertising, streaming services and apps, often before consumers reach a gambling website. He argued that effective oversight requires a comprehensive view of the market, including both regulated and unregulated activity. He said European regulators need to measure and monitor the wider gambling ecosystem and enforce rules across the various platforms, services and infrastructure that support unregulated operators. Meanwhile, Derek Webb, founder of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, argued that the EU faces an enforcement problem, with unregulated gambling operating across borders, platforms and infrastructure while enforcement remains largely national. Webb also stressed that holding a licence in one jurisdiction does not grant an operator permission to operate across Europe. He argued that operators accepting money from consumers in a European jurisdiction should be required to comply with the laws and consumer protections applicable in that jurisdiction.