Gambling Commission publishes first report on illegal gambling market in Britain
The study highlights that the public really do not know if they are playing at a regulated or unregulated online casino.
Key points:
– The first phase of this study focused on identifying whether players were aware they were playing at an illegal casino
– It identified four key player groups, which can be used to create educational campaigns later down the line
– Online bingo was a surprisingly common factor that players looked for in unregulated casinos
The Gambling Commission has completed a multi-phase study alongside Yonder Consulting to get a better understanding of who is using illegal gambling websites in the UK and why.
The research found four key groups are interacting with these sites: Self-excluders; Skilled Advocates, who knowingly seek out illegal platforms to acquire new skills or use digital currencies; Social Explorers, who discover the sites through social networks or forums; and Accidental Tourists, who do not even know they are playing at an illegal site.
As quoted in the report: “These audiences have varying awareness levels of engagement with illegal websites, different entry pathways into the websites, and motivations for using them.”
Excluding the Self-excluders, the majority of other players admitted to using these illegal websites alongside regulated ones, rather than preferring one market over the other.
Better promotions, wanting to play games otherwise unavailable in the UK, avoiding stake or spending limits, no KYC and alternative payment methods were all listed as key motivations for playing at the illegal sites.
As for which products were most sought after in illegal casinos, betting on football was one of the highest, followed by online bingo, online fruit and slot games, then virtual gaming.
Interestingly, there were no significant demographic trends when it came to which players preferred illegal casinos – other than both illegal and legal casinos being more popular with men than women.
Good to know: More than 2,000 people were interviewed as part of this study, with two additional 90-minute focus groups and ten one-hour in-depth interviews
As Gambling Insider has discussed before, many players are unable to identify illegal casinos.
As quoted in the report: “Respondents showed low levels of awareness of the illegal online market, highlighted by some reporting that they had not used illegal websites whilst their responses to other questions indicated otherwise, and vice versa.
“This lack of understanding was also highlighted in survey verbatim responses after respondents were asked to name illegal websites they had used, with only a minority able to name an illegal website, and numerous respondents mistakenly naming licensed operators.”
In response to this report, the Commission has confirmed it will be further exploring the role of influencer marketing in this.
The next phase of this study will be completed before the end of 2025 and will explore ‘knee-jerk’ reactions to regulatory changes.
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