Spot the difference
The UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is attempting to educate UK consumers on knowing the difference between regulated and non-regulated gambling sites via an online campaign.
The BGC shared its interactive “Spot the Black Market” quiz via X:
According to the BGA, the campaign’s aim is to expose the “hidden dangers of the black market” by demonstrating to UK customers how the design and branding of illegal sites is often little different than regulated sites.
Questions answered
The quiz starts off with thumbnail images of popular online gambling titles and asks users to choose if the sites are UK regulated or not.
Other questions included visuals of casino ads offering to take crypto payments and a time-limited £2,000 ($2,600) welcome offer, asking: “is this a legitimate or black market site?”
According to the BGA’s responses, both were illegal sites because it’s against the law for regulated UK online operators to take crypto payments or offer time-sensitive bonuses that encourage excessive gambling.
deliberately mimic trusted brands”
A BGC spokesperson said the illegal sites “deliberately mimic trusted brands but play by none of the rules that keep people safe.” The UK gambling trade body added that the quiz “shows just how easily consumers can be deceived” and makes the case for choosing only UK-licensed operators.
The BCA advises UK users to look for visible Gambling Commission license numbers, shady payment methods, and dodgy terms and conditions.
Taking action
The BGC estimates the UK is losing £2.7bn ($3.63 bn) annually to the online black market, while the UK’s regulated sector contributes approximately £6.8bn ($9.15bn) to the UK economy each year.
In the 2025 Autumn Budget, however, online gambling taxes rose to the dismay of UK iGaming firms from 21% to 40%, leading to the likes of Evoke to reveal plans to shutter 200 betting shops.
If the BGC’s campaign against illegal operators works, the UK’s regulated gambling firms will be very much obliged.
