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Casino Guru’s complaint data reveals scope of UK players gambling at unlicensed websites

Published

5 years ago

February 24, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Gambling Commission’s recent calls for evidence and views from the industry and the public regarding upcoming changes to Great Britain’s gambling regulation has seen a number of professionals emphasize the potential rise of black-market gambling as a consequence of tightening regulations.

These claims have been largely backed up by a PwC report, which estimates the number of UK online gamblers using unlicensed operators to have more than doubled from 2018 to 2020, from c.210,000 to c.460,000 gamblers.

Later on, UK gambling firms have been accused of exaggerating the scale of black-market gambling in an attempt to influence the GC’s decision to introduce tougher regulations. The GC’s chief executive Neil McArthur commented that the report delivered by PwC is not consistent with their intelligence picture and lacked any evidence to show an increase in illicit betting. He added that GC’s own evidence suggests that the impact may be being exaggerated.

Simon Vincze, Casino Guru’s Responsible Gambling Projects Manager, has been keeping up with the heated discussion taking place in British media and looked into their data on player complaints to get an idea about the scope of the issue: “I understand the need for regulation in the gambling market and its usefulness in keeping children and vulnerable players safe. It’s something I deeply believe in and work towards in my position as well. However, it didn’t seem right to me to just disregard the negative effects of tightening regulations altogether.”

Casino Guru operates a casino dispute mediation service, in which players can complain about any online casino if they feel to have been mistreated, regardless of its license, and get assisted for free. After looking into their data, Simon discovered 666 complaints submitted by players from the UK, of which 145 is about casinos with a license from GC and 521 is about casinos without it. This means that 78% of all complaints submitted by UK players have been about operators without a GC license.

“Of course, this doesn’t mean that 78% of UK players gamble at foreign websites. Because of the generally lower quality of service and reputation of these operators, it can be expected that these players will run into issues more often, resulting in a higher proportion of players submitting public complaints. However, it is also a clear sign that there are UK players gambling at casinos without a GC license, and that there is quite a lot of them,” Simon commented on this data.

He also compared the British situation to what has happened in Sweden: “When gambling regulations get more restrictive, an increased proportion of players usually start looking for unlicensed operators to avoid those regulations. Sweden is a great example of this, where 40% of casino players and 34% of sports betters gamble on unlicensed websites or would consider doing so in future, according to a study published back in April 2020. Taking a look at Google search data, there has been a major increase in Swedish players actively looking for unlicensed casinos since introducing the country’s gambling regulations with a strong focus on player safety.”

“With tighter regulations being introduced in Great Britain, the GC should be aware of the possibility of an increasing number of British punters actively looking for unlicensed sites in attempts to avoid the strict regulations. These players then gamble on foreign websites without the strict limits present at UK-licensed ones, ending up more susceptible to problematic gambling habits as a result of lower responsible gambling standards of some foreign operators, on top of other negative qualities that can be present at these websites.”

Data from the PwC report suggests that 4,5% of UK players gamble at foreign websites, while 78% of all complaints submitted to Casino Guru by UK players are related to these foreign websites.

Simon commented: “Combining this data would suggest that 4,5% of players are responsible for 78% of all casino complaints, which would signify a huge imbalance. Of course, the numbers are based on different data and there may be other factors in play, but I think that the imbalance is there, and has to do with the fact that players gambling on foreign websites simply run into issues more often. These can range from unclear bonus terms and bad implementation of responsible gambling features all the way to unscrupulous casinos outright scamming players.”

“If an increasing number of players leave the regulated market and go for foreign alternatives, they may be subject to a higher risk of developing problem gambling and losing money to foreign websites, some of which can have unscrupulous tendencies. This seems like a good enough reason to seriously consider the risk of rising use of black-market gambling websites by UK players,” he added.

While the GC is examining evidence presented by stakeholders and working towards updated gambling regulation, it remains to be seen how the situation ends up being handled and what new rules get implemented. Only time will tell whether tighter regulation really does increase the use of black-market sites or not, and whether the benefits will outweigh possible drawbacks.

Latest News

Microgaming launches football games StrikerX and SoccerX aimed at acquisition

Published

53 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

microgaming-launches-football-games-strikerx-and-soccerx-aimed-at-acquisition

Crash and instant win formats target fast onboarding, mobile play and low-friction mechanics, with RTP and max win figures disclosed for SoccerX.

Microgaming has launched two football-themed games, StrikerX and SoccerX, positioning them as “gateway” titles designed to support player acquisition for operators.

The supplier said the releases are built around quick-result gameplay and low-friction entry, with mechanics intended to be easy to pick up. StrikerX is a Crash game, while SoccerX is an Instant Win title, with both designed for fast loading and mobile performance, according to the company.

SoccerX is built around a penalty shootout format where players pick a shot and attempt to beat the keeper while progressing up a prize ladder. Microgaming said the ladder can be cashed out at any point or pushed further. The company lists the game’s RTP at 96.00% and a top win potential of up to 12,500x, and says players can choose their own volatility.

StrikerX allows players to place up to two bets in a single round, using different strategies at the same time, while “dynamic game events” increase the multiplier as play progresses, according to Microgaming. Its Ultimate Shot feature triggers at 100x and introduces bonus multipliers ranging from x1 to x100, with win potential of up to 10,000x.

A Microgaming spokesperson said: “Acquisition is not just about visibility, it is about removing friction. With SoccerX and StrikerX, the aim was to create games that are quick to load, quick to understand and easy to get into, which makes them very effective at opening the door to a wider portfolio. Football gives both titles an immediate hook, but the bigger value is in having formats that can bring in new audiences and still give them a reason to stay.”

The post Microgaming launches football games StrikerX and SoccerX aimed at acquisition appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Conferences

Gaming in Germany Conference sets Nov 10, 2026 date in Berlin, names first speakers

Published

53 minutes ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The 2026 Gaming in Germany Conference will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the DoubleTree Hilton Ku’damm in Berlin. The organisers have also announced the first confirmed speakers for the annual regulated iGaming-focused event.

Conference topics will include the ongoing evaluation of the 2021 State Gambling Treaty (GlüStv 2021), the “current & future permissibility of new products” including prediction betting, sweepstakes and eSports betting, and the future of remaining gambling monopolies in Germany and Austria. The programme also flags market re-regulation in Austria and “strategies for countering offshore offerings and to #ReclaimTheMarket for licensed operators.”

Confirmed speakers listed by the organiser include a senior GGL representative, Dr. Damir Boehm (CEO, Tipwin), Dr. Christian Piska (Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Vienna), Dr. Joerg Hofmann (Senior Partner, Melchers Law Firm), Vasiliki Panousi (Regulatory Affairs Senior Manager, Kaizen), Josh Hodgson (COO, H2 Gambling Capital), and Mohamed Messaoudi (Director, Digital Vault Product, Trust & Sign, Docaposte), among others.

Gaming in Germany founder Willem van Oort said: “I am extremely pleased with this year’s speaker lineup. We are undeniably bringing an impressive amount of expertise to the stage – including, of course, a significant amount of business and regulatory experience. Since we will be discussing, among other things, the outcome of the evaluation of the GlüStv 2021 – something that is highly relevant to the entire sector – I am very glad about the amount of thought leadership that we have managed to bring together so far.”

The organiser said registration is open and issued a call for additional speakers, specifically seeking expertise on business topics including media and marketing, affiliation, compliance and operations.

The post Gaming in Germany Conference sets Nov 10, 2026 date in Berlin, names first speakers appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Highlight Games’ platform clears Italy’s ADM collaudo certification

Published

10 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

highlight-games’-platform-clears-italy’s-adm-collaudo-certification

Company plans to roll out SOCCERBET with LALIGA archive footage on its own platform in Italian retail after the World Cup.

Highlight Games Limited said its proprietary platform has passed Italy’s ADM collaudo process, the technical certification required for gaming platforms. The company announced the approval on 14 July 2026 from London.

Following the conclusion of the World Cup, Highlight said it will launch its Spanish SOCCERBET product featuring archive LALIGA footage on its own platform across Italian retail channels. The company added that operators will transfer to Highlight’s platform over the months that follow.

The supplier said the certification allows it to deliver its content via its own “zero-cost streaming technology” in Italy and gives it control over its product roadmap in what it called its most important market.

Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘This is a huge moment for Highlight as we bring our video-based technology stack to the Italian market and join a select few who are able to offer an officially ADM certified platform. Italy is where SOCCERBET has proven itself time and again and passing the ADM collaudo means we can now deliver that content on our own platform, with our zero-cost streaming solution, exactly as it was designed to be experienced.

‘Owning the technology end to end means we control our own roadmap, resulting in faster launches, smoother integrations for our operator partners and a richer experience for players. Our products consistently perform at the top of the market wherever they are live, and with our platform now officially certified in Italy, we have everything in place to build on that momentum.’

The post Highlight Games’ platform clears Italy’s ADM collaudo certification appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.