The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has revealed that illegal operators received £100 million in bets during the Grand National festival at Aintree.It’s estimated that...
BGC urges technology platforms to target illegal gambling
The UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has urged technology platforms and companies to join the fight against illegal gambling in the country and take action to stop the rise of black market operators.
The BGC published an open letter on June 12, 2026, stressing that illegal operators are increasingly using gambling ads on search engines, social media platforms, and messaging services to reach vulnerable and self-excluded local players. The letter additionally cites data from WARC, which shows that half of gambling advertisements in the UK come from unlicensed operators.
The letter states:
“These illegal operators are not part of the regulated gambling industry. They are not licensed by the Gambling Commission. They do not follow British rules. They do not carry out the checks required to protect customers. They do not contribute to research, prevention, and treatment. They do not pay UK tax. Yet they are finding customers through platforms built and operated by you, some of the most sophisticated technology companies in the world. That should concern all of us.”
Signed by BGC CEO Grainne Hurst, the letter further pushes major technology firms to start treating illegal gambling as a consumer protection concern, arguing that prohibited ads must be quickly identified and removed.
The council has suggested increasing collaboration between relevant bodies to improve the speed and size of enforcement action, as Hurst believes that illegal ads can’t be effectively eliminated without cross-platform information sharing.
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