The UK Gambling Commission is expanding its enforcement strategy against illegal gambling by targeting the payments, advertising and product supply that support unlicensed operators. The regulator has issued more than 1,000 cease-and-desist notices during the 2026/27 financial year, referred over £40 million in suspected criminal funds for potential asset-freezing since January and contributed to the removal of three million URLs from search results.
The UK Gambling Commission has outlined an expanded enforcement strategy against illegal gambling operators, moving beyond website shutdowns to disrupt the payments, advertising channels and product access that support unlicensed businesses. The announcement, first reported by Focus Gaming News, coincides with the first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week.
The regulator said it has already issued more than 1,000 cease-and-desist notices during the 2026/27 financial year.
Enforcement Actions to Date
The Commission reported referring 7.8 million URLs to search engines, contributing to the removal of three million URLs from search results. It also referred 2,200 websites for disruption action, according to Focus Gaming News.
Since January, more than £40 million in suspected criminal funds has been referred to partner agencies for potential asset-freezing. The regulator said it continues to work with law enforcement agencies to seize cash at illegal land-based gambling operations.
Commission Outlines Broader Strategy
Gambling Commission Executive Director of Operations Sue Young described the expanded approach.
“We’ve already shown we can take down and disrupt individual websites and now we’re going further,” Young said. “That means us interfering with illegal operators’ whole business models, disrupting their payments, hindering their advertising and stopping them from obtaining the games and sportsbooks they so heavily rely on.”
Young added: “By widening the net and focusing beyond removing websites our mission is to hit illegal operators on all sides. If you run an illegal gambling operation, we are coming after you, your business and your money.”
Industry Concerns Over Black Market Activity
Concerns over black market gambling have been raised repeatedly by industry organizations and executives. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Entain chief executive Stella David have highlighted what they view as growing use of unlicensed gambling platforms, according to Focus Gaming News.
The BGC has claimed that wagers placed with illegal operators during the 2027/28 Premier League season could exceed £1 billion.
Payment and Advertising Disruption
Young’s references to payment disruption and advertising restrictions reflect measures that industry stakeholders have argued are essential to tackling illegal gambling. Pressure has grown for regulators and governments to work more closely with payment service providers to prevent consumers from funding accounts with unlicensed operators.
Social media platforms have also come under increasing scrutiny for their role in promoting unlicensed gambling websites. In the Netherlands, trade association VNLOK has taken legal action against Meta over gambling-related concerns, as reported by Focus Gaming News.
Some jurisdictions — including Finland and the Philippines — have begun exploring closer cooperation with technology companies on this front.
The Gambling Commission has also introduced its Illegal Gambling Index, designed to provide a more reliable way of measuring consumer engagement with illegal gambling websites. Initial findings suggest that use of the unlicensed market remains relatively limited but concentrated among certain groups of online gamblers.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Illegal Gambling Taskforce is working alongside the Commission on the broader response to risks posed by unlicensed operators.
