BGC Warns Illegal Premier League Betting Could Hit £1bn
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that illegal gambling operators are on course to take up to £800 million in bets across the new Premier League season, with about £20 million staked with unlicensed firms over the opening weekend alone.
The trade body said in a statement published on August 24, 2026, that the figure is forecast to climb by a further £200m next season, pushing illegal sports betting on the league to around £1bn a year.
The BGC said analysis suggests a typical Premier League weekend sees between £15m and £20m staked with unlicensed operators on all platforms including their betting apps, with the opening round of fixtures expected toward the top of that range.
"Millions of football fans will enjoy a bet safely with regulated operators this season, backing their team week in, week out," said Grainne Hurst, chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council.
"But the criminal black market is looking to cash in too, taking millions of pounds on every round of matches while offering customers none of the protections found in the regulated sector."
Shirt Sponsorship Ban Cited As A Factor
The BGC linked the trend partly to changes in visible advertising. The industry has removed betting sponsors from the front of Premier League shirts from this season, a step the BGC said it supports as part of raising standards.
It has also welcomed a government plan to stop Premier League clubs accepting sponsorship from operators that do not hold a UK licence. The council wants that action extended to prevent unlicensed firms sponsoring any sport in Britain.
"As visible, regulated advertising reduces, demand does not disappear, it shifts into less regulated channels, where illegal operators are already growing rapidly," the BGC said, framing the shift as a consequence of tighter marketing rules rather than falling demand for betting on the league overall.
Rising Duty Adds Pressure On Licensed Firms
The warning comes as the regulated sector faces a planned increase in general betting duty from April 2027, which the BGC said H2 Gambling Capital has warned will pile further pressure on licensed operators.
Separate analysis cited by the BGC found that unregulated operators now account for almost half of all UK gambling advertising spend, while H2 Gambling Capital forecasts the amount staked with illegal operators in Britain will almost double, from nearly £17bn this year to more than £33bn by 2028.
"These operators pay no tax, fund nothing and answer to no one," Hurst said. "Every pound they take is a pound lost to British sport and to the Treasury.
"Licensed operators are regulated in Britain and follow strict rules on consumer protection, safer gambling and robust financial safeguards. Illegal black market operators do not."
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What The BGC Wants Next
The BGC said the regulated betting and gaming sector supports more than 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8bn to the UK economy and raises over £4bn in tax each year, and argued that tackling the criminal gangs behind illegal gambling websites must stay a priority to keep customers within the regulated market.
"With illegal betting on the Premier League on course to reach £1bn a season, we support action that protects fans, upholds standards and keeps customers safe within the regulated market," Hurst said.
The UK Gambling Commission continues to publish guidance on identifying licensed operators as part of its own work against unlicensed gambling sites.
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