The harmful gambling black market cashed in during the Grand National, with up to £100m potentially staked with illegal operators across the Aintree Festival, including as much as £40m on the big race alone, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned.

The Grand National is one of the biggest betting events in the sporting calendar, attracting millions of punters and billions in wagers each year.

But these figures underline the growing threat posed by illegal gambling operators, who target major events while offering none of the protections required of regulated firms.

The BGC warned that rising costs on licensed operators, alongside the threat of increasingly intrusive checks requiring customers to hand over personal financial details, risk driving more punters towards the unsafe, unregulated market.

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “The Grand National is one of the biggest moments in the sporting calendar, enjoyed safely by millions.

“But the criminal harmful black market will also have tried to cash in, targeting punters with illegal betting that offers zero protections.

“Rising costs and increasingly intrusive checks will only make it harder for legitimate operators to compete.

“The priority must be keeping punters in the regulated market, where safeguards are in place, rather than driving them towards dangerous illegal operators.

“Licensed betting firms in Britain must meet strict standards, including age verification, anti-money laundering checks and safer gambling protections. By contrast, black market operators act outside the law and offer no safeguards to customers.”

The regulated betting and gaming sector supports over 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8bn to the UK economy and raises £4bn in tax each year, while also providing vital funding for British horseracing.

The BGC said tackling the criminal gangs behind illegal gambling sites must remain a priority to protect punters and support the regulated sector.

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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that the incoming British tax hikes will boost black market activity.

Based on a new polling by Anacta reported in February 2026, there are concerns that proposed UK government gambling strategies, particularly regarding increased taxes, could contradict their intended harm-reduction goals.

While ministers have launched a consultation to ban unlicensed operators from sponsoring football clubs, including in the Premier League, ordinary punters fear the Government’s new tax rises could drive millions straight into illegal gambling sites, the new poll reveals.

The poll, conducted found:

• 52% of people who bet believe higher taxes will make punters more likely to use unlicensed black market sites.

• 66% of those who bet say tax increases will make betting and gaming less enjoyable.

• 57% think UK gambling is already heavily regulated.

With around 22.5 million adults placing a bet each month, the Government’s disastrous tax hikes will drive millions more to the harmful black market.

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “When you tax responsible, regulated betting and gaming companies harder, you do not reduce demand you simply drive customers towards the unsafe, unregulated black market.

“Illegal gambling sites do not pay tax. They do not contribute to British sport. They do not invest in safer gambling and they do not protect vulnerable people.

“If the Government wants growth and genuine consumer protection, it must back the regulated sector not make it less competitive against criminals.”

The regulated sector supports 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8 billion to the economy and generates £4 billion in tax revenue, funding everything from the NHS to schools and local communities.

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Gambling advertising spend by licensed operators in the UK is continuing to decline, according to new independent analysis commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The findings come as the industry warns that unregulated online advertising by illegal operators is becoming the real risk to consumers.

The research, conducted by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), set out in the Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025, shows that gambling advertising accounted for 2.7% of total UK advertising spend in 2024, down from 3% the previous year.

The report also found that overall gambling advertising spend by licensed operators has been declining steadily since 2021, falling by 1.7% year-on-year, driven largely by a £30 million reduction in television advertising.

At the same time, a substantial share of advertising is dedicated to player protection. Around 20% of all gambling advertising is now focused on safer gambling messaging, reinforcing awareness of tools and support.

This focus is delivering tangible results. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week, engagement increased significantly, with 14% more people setting deposit limits and 22% more safer gambling tools in place.

Advertising compliance remains extremely high, with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings relating to fewer than 0.02% of gambling adverts, highlighting the strength of the UK’s regulatory framework.

Regulated gambling advertising supports 9900 jobs across the advertising, media and creative supply chain, contributes c.£500 million in Gross Value Added (GVA), and underpins 1400 full-time marketing roles. It also plays an important role in supporting free-to-air sport, lower-league and grassroots sport, as well as wider media revenues outside subscription-based models.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators is continuing to fall, with spend increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections. Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector.

“By contrast, illegal operators are advertising aggressively online with no safeguards, no age checks and no consumer protections, posing a huge risk to consumers. Any serious approach to advertising must be led by evidence and focused on tackling the harmful black market.”

Adam Rivers, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, added: “We are pleased to have worked with the BGC on this report, which offers an insight into the state of the gambling advertising and sponsorship sector in the UK, based on actual advertising expenditure data from licensed operators.”

The report also highlights the growing scale of illegal gambling advertising. Illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated digital channels, including influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers. Many explicitly advertise that they are “not on GAMSTOP”, while others impersonate trusted charities and institutions to deceive the public.

While licensed advertising continues to decline, separate industry analysis estimates that black market sites are spending between £500 million and £700 million on advertising their illegal sites.

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