Last November the government pledged £26m to the Gambling Commission in its fight against illegal gambling, so why are operators being still being asked to pay?
Not only is it unprecedented for any type of licensed business to fund enforcement against its own black market competition, the government has already given the Gambling Commission significant support – yet the regulator is still attempting to significantly increase its annual fees.
Speaking at the Betting and Gaming Council’s annual general meeting in London recently, Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross outlined her expectations from the Commission’s new taskforce.
“I’m determined that, however hard it is for us to achieve this, it will result in fast, effective action,” she said. “We cannot continue to allow unlicensed operators to take advantage of the global appeal of British sport to advertise, and we’ll launch the consultation in the spring.”
The rise of the black market, however, has been a result of the over-taxation and over-regulation of the industry by the very same authorities that are now trying to stop it.
“[The government] have given the Gambling Commission £26m to tackle the black market, but actually that’s missing the point,” concluded BGC CEO Grainne Hurst. “We need to stop sending people into the black market for the Gambling Commission to then take action on. We need to make sure that the regulated sector is attractive, healthy and sustainable.”
Originally published on Coinslot on March 16, 2026. Republished with permission.