UK Gambling Commission cracks down on 264 unlicensed operators

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has reported a dramatic rise in enforcement actions against unlicensed gambling operators, with 264 illegal websites being taken down in the current financial year, a staggering increase of over 1,000 percent compared to the previous year.

Speaking at the ICE World Regulatory Briefing in Barcelona, UKGC Chairman Andrew Rhodes revealed that the Commission had referred over 102,000 URLs linked to unlicensed gaming activities to Google, resulting in the removal of 64,000 sites from search results.

Additionally, the regulator issued more than 770 cease and desist notices and disruption orders, with 262 directed at gambling operators and 205 targeting advertisers involved in promoting unlicensed services.  

“Our aim is to prevent the illegal market from operating at scale in Great Britain,” Rhodes stated. “A significant part of our strategy in doing that is to target our efforts as far upstream as we can – at the level of hosts, payment providers, software providers, search engines, and others.”  

Over the past two years, the Commission has focused on bolstering its enforcement capabilities and resources to address the persistent challenge of unauthorized gambling operations. Rhodes stated that, while substantial progress has been made, much work remains to be done, both by the regulator and by the industry at large.  

The Commission has also been investigating instances of third-party resellers distributing games from licensed operators to unauthorized platforms, often in breach of contractual agreements. This discovery has raised concerns about potential negligence by licensees, prompting the regulator to issue stern warnings to all stakeholders within the gaming sector.  

Rhodes urged operators to conduct thorough due diligence on their suppliers and business partners, highlighting that failure to do so could lead to severe repercussions. 

While the regulator acknowledges that licensed operators are not directly responsible for taking action against illegal competitors, Rhodes stressed that due diligence and compliance monitoring are important in preventing the unauthorized use of regulated gaming products. 

The Commission has also turned its focus toward illegal football betting operations, a growing concern in light of the increasing popularity of sports wagering. Rhodes noted that test purchasing and investigative efforts will continue to root out businesses that provide services to unlicensed operators.  

Rhodes expressed optimism regarding the future of the regulated gambling market in Great Britain. He cited recent gross gambling yield (GGY) figures, which revealed record performance levels, driven primarily by a surge in online slots activity. The third quarter of the year alone saw GGY reach £1.32 billion ($1.63 billion), a 16 percent increase compared to the previous period.