UK Gambling Commission Intensifies Crackdown, Blocking Nearly 100,000 Illegal Gambling Websites
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has significantly escalated its campaign against unlicensed gambling operations, successfully blocking nearly 100,000 illegal websites as part of a concerted effort to dismantle the black market.
Addressing delegates at the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) conference in Toronto, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Rhodes announced that the regulator is on course to report up to 200,000 blocked URLs by the conclusion of the financial year.
For the past three and a half years, the UKGC has maintained a specialized enforcement unit dedicated to tackling illegal online gambling. In his address, Mr. Rhodes underscored that the Commission’s mandate extends beyond punitive measures against non-compliant operators, emphasizing its statutory duty to safeguard vulnerable populations. He stated:
“We make sure there are penalties and disincentives for being in the illegal market, but also one of our obligations under the Gambling Act, which created us as an organisation is we are here to protect children and the vulnerable from being exploited by gambling.”
As part of its strategic approach, the UKGC collaborates closely with major search engines to disrupt traffic to unlicensed platforms, thereby reducing their visibility and accessibility. Mr. Rhodes elaborated that the Commission is actively monitoring over 1,000 illegal operators, noting:
“We’re tracking over 1000 illegal operators as we try to shut them down… if we can remove things from search results, we make it harder to find, so we slow them down.”
Read also: Kaizen Gaming Claims “Operator of the Year” Again at the EGR Operator Awards 2025
With the UK’s national budget scheduled for release on November 26, potential fiscal changes could significantly impact the gambling sector. One proposal under consideration seeks to harmonize all gambling tax regimes with the Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) rate of 21%, a measure that would notably affect retail betting operators currently subject to a 15% tax rate.
Alternatively, there is discussion of increasing the RGD itself to 50%, a move that could compress profit margins for licensed operators and inadvertently drive some consumers toward unregulated platforms. Reflecting on these developments, Mr. Rhodes commented:
“Now these are going to be really big debates and they’re taking place in many countries at the moment, and it is quite hard sometimes when different factors change to work out exactly what impact each individual component had.”
He further emphasized the UKGC’s commitment to rigorous assessment, stating: “That’s why in GB, we’ve got an evaluation programme, which is to evaluate the impact, as best we possibly can of the different changes that the Gambling Act Review White Paper has delivered within our country.”
The UKGC’s ongoing efforts reflect a steadfast commitment to upholding regulatory standards and protecting consumers in an increasingly complex digital landscape. Through targeted enforcement and strategic partnerships, the Commission continues to fortify its position as a leading authority in the global fight against illegal gambling operations. UK Illegal Gambling Websites
