UK Gambling Commission study finds bettors use licensed and unlicensed sites

New research from the UK Gambling Commission indicates that bettors who frequently use unlicensed operators in Britain also continue to use licensed operators. The finding contradicts assumptions widely held by both the regulator and large parts of the industry about how customers engage with the regulated and unregulated markets.

The research was examined on an industry podcast, where the findings were discussed by media representatives. The discussion highlighted that the behaviour of users often described as black market customers may be more fluid than previously thought, with punters moving between licensed and unlicensed platforms rather than exclusively patronising one or the other.

This challenges the prevailing narrative that unlicensed operators represent a direct and separate threat to the regulated market. If users of unlicensed sites also engage with licensed ones, the scale and nature of the so-called black market may be different from what some industry estimates have suggested.

The Gambling Commission has previously emphasised the risks associated with unlicensed operators, which do not comply with UK rules on player protection, anti-money laundering, or responsible gambling. However, the new data suggests that the customer base for these operators overlaps significantly with the licensed market.

The implications of the research could influence how the regulator and industry approach both enforcement and player protection strategy. Further analysis is expected as the findings are considered by stakeholders across the sector.