UK Gambling Commission introduces index for illegal gambling

The UKGC introduces new Illegal Gambling Index that will measure consumer engagement with illegal gambling websites in UK and establish a baseline for tracking market changes. Data during April 2025 to April 2026, shows that 0.6% of respondents had visited illegal gambling websites in the previous four weeks, while another 0.4% had engaged with them during the past year but not in the last four weeks. Among online gamblers the figure reached 4% annually among 18-24 years aged men. The index has been created with the help of Yonder Consulting by merging seven self-reported behavioral indicators as opposed to directly asking respondents about illegal websites. The Gambling Commission intends to compare data from future surveys with web traffic figures as well as further intelligence. In addition, new questions that are going to be asked in 2027 will contribute to the tracking of four already identified groups in terms of gambling: Self-Excluders, Skilled Advocates, Social Explorers, and Accidental Tourists. Another dashboard focuses on the illegal gambling market in terms of supply, consumers, and enforcement.