Unlicensed gambling operators could take up to £800 million in bets from consumers in Great Britain during the 2026-27 Premier League season, the Betting and Gaming Council said on 24 August 2026.

The trade body estimates that illegal operators could receive about £20 million during the opening weekend. The forecast adds pressure on regulators, technology platforms and the government to disrupt websites operating outside British consumer protection rules.

The £800 million figure represents betting stakes, not operator revenue, profit or tax receipts.

What the forecast measures

The Betting and Gaming Council estimates that a typical Premier League weekend could direct between £15 million and £20 million to unlicensed operators.

The council represents licensed betting and gaming businesses. Its estimate is not a Gambling Commission measurement of the illegal market.

  • Opening weekend estimate: about £20 million in illegal bets.
  • Typical Premier League weekend estimate: £15 million to £20 million.
  • Full-season estimate: up to £800 million in stakes.

Why licensed operators are concerned

Businesses licensed in Great Britain must follow Gambling Commission rules on safer gambling, customer checks, anti-money-laundering controls and complaints handling.

Websites without a British licence do not face the same operating requirements or costs. The Gambling Commission says a licence issued by another country does not permit a business to provide gambling to consumers in Great Britain.

The regulator also warns that illegal gambling can weaken consumer protection, create risks for sport and support wider criminality.

  • Licensed businesses must identify themselves and link to the Gambling Commission public register.
  • Unlicensed operators can avoid British licensing costs, tax and regulatory obligations.
  • Customers using illegal sites may have fewer routes to challenge withheld funds or disputed outcomes.

Remote betting tax adds to the dispute

The warning comes before a change to remote betting duty. The government introduced a 25% remote betting rate within General Betting Duty. The measure will apply to bets made from 1 April 2027.

Remote betting on UK horse racing remains subject to the 15% rate. Self-service betting terminals, pool betting and spread betting are excluded from the new remote rate.

The Betting and Gaming Council has linked the higher duty to a possible increase in illegal betting. It said illegal Premier League betting could rise by a further £200 million in the following season, reaching about £1 billion a year.

The proposed increase would place the council's forecast at roughly £1 billion, but that figure remains an industry estimate rather than official market data.

Enforcement remains the central test

The Gambling Commission reported that it referred 366 websites to search engines and issued 217 cease-and-desist notices during the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year.

Those figures describe regulatory activity, not the total size of the illegal market. The Commission says it cannot eliminate illegal gambling entirely and is focusing on operators that pose the greatest risk to consumers in Great Britain.

On 23 February 2026, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced plans to consult on restricting sports sponsorship by gambling companies without a British licence.

The proposal would affect sponsorship arrangements involving Premier League clubs. It was presented as a consultation proposal, not a final ban.

What consumers should check

For consumers in Great Britain, the practical test is whether a gambling website appears on the Gambling Commission register and identifies the licensed business responsible for the service.

Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have separate legal and regulatory arrangements. The Great Britain licensing requirement does not create one framework covering those jurisdictions.