Euromat Study Finds Illegal Online Gambling in Europe Tripled to €12bn Over Six Years
Euromat study shows Europe’s illegal online gambling market tripled to €12bn since 2020, now 25% of the online sector across 28 markets. Friction from policies like affordability checks drives players to black-market brands. The sector funds organized crime including trafficking.
SCCG Take — Overly restrictive rules expand the black market regulators seek to shrink. European authorities must weigh friction costs against licensed operator viability and crime funding risks.
The illegal online gambling market in Europe has tripled in the last six years and now stands at €12bn, according to research commissioned by the European Gaming and Amusement Federation (Euromat). The analysis of 28 online gambling markets, including the UK, concludes that unregulated activity accounts for 25 per cent of the region’s entire online sector.
Drivers Behind Black-Market Growth
Government policies that create consumer friction have accelerated the expansion. Limited consumer choice, low visibility, distortions of price or value, and interventionist measures such as affordability checks have made illegal offerings the go-to option for many players. The largest black-market operators have established recognisable brands with large market share. The study warns this position will strengthen if governments impose further restrictive regulation.
Criminal Funding and Consumer Protection Gaps
Jason Frost, Euromat president, underlined the stakes. “The illegal black market is a major concern for everybody who recognises the importance of a progressive and fairly regulated leisure and entertainment economy. Organised Crime Groups treat illegal gambling as a ‘cash cow’ with the profits providing ready-to-use liquidity to reinvest into high-risk, high-reward criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and firearms smuggling.”
Filip Jelavić, Helios project lead, addressed the policy tension. “Consumer protection policies are key but become counter-productive if they succeed in driving players into the black-market. The more engaged and higher value customers who seek black markets out are often the most vulnerable to harm or exploitation.”
As reported by Focus Gaming News, the findings illustrate how measures intended to protect consumers can instead expand the illegal sector and the criminal enterprises it sustains. Regulators face a narrowing set of options to contain this growth without further distorting licensed markets.
Reporting: Focus Gaming News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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