As the unlicensed market continues to grow due to restrictive regulations and over-taxation, Tim Miller, executive director of the Gambling Commission, attended the ICE Expo ten days ago and called on the industry to “pick a side”. An ironic comment really, considering the land based sector has been insisting the Commission does exactly that when it comes to kicking illegal machine sales off E-Bay, You Tube and other sites.
The industry must use its “economic muscle” to “commercially strangle” companies that provide services to the black market, according to the Gambling Commission’s Tim Miller.
Speaking at ICE Barcelona, the regulator’s executive director warned that some companies are trying to “have their cake and eat it” by serving both licensed and unlicensed operators. Miller said the fight against illegal gambling required stronger action from industry as well as regulators, arguing that suppliers, platforms and affiliates must “pick a side”.
“There must be no option for people to have a foot in both camps,” he said. “It’s time to pick a side and so we all need to start asking ‘Whose side are you on?’”
Many in the industry will scream straight back at ya Mr Miller, particularly when it comes to enforcing the regulatory arm on illegal machine sales on eBay. In fact, Coinslot has run several articles on the issue for more than a decade, all prompted by frustrated distributors. And yet the illegal machine adverts are still up, running daily and expanding on sites like eBay.
So, really, whose side are you on?
But Miller, to his credit, actually had a response to this criticism. He outlined the regulator’s recent enforcement activity, revealing that between April and December 2025 the Commission disrupted 627 illegal websites.Not to be picky, but it is an extremely late response.
During the speech, Miller argued regulation alone would not be enough, calling on the industry to “commercially strangle those third parties that facilitate unscrupulous operators”.
Well, isn’t the industry constantly calling the regulator and pointing to websites selling illegal machines on numerous platforms, and then asking them to enforce their regulatory powers, a vital part of the strangulation effort?
Apparently not,it seems.
“As a global, regulated industry you have significant economic muscle and considerable commercial leverage,” he said. “And for all of us here today with a shared desire to fight against the illegal market – well, I think we have overlooked this important and powerful weapon in our arsenal. And it’s time we deploy it.”
And on that point there was universal agreement. Although, up until 10-12 months ago the regulator had been dismissing industry pleas on the illegal market – to the point that the Commission suggested the black market was over-estimated.
But Miller was on a roll – attack is always the best form of defence for the Commission. He added that businesses should be asking themselves: “How do you hardwire addressing the threats that the illegal market brings to your business?”, “What due diligence are you doing?” and “What contractual provisions can you put in place to prevent [suppliers] from working with illegal operators?”
The answer was simple. It has been acting on these questions. And it’s been warning the regulator and the government for years and years about the dangers and how they need to do their job and enforce the law against illegal operators.
The Gambling Commission refused to listen and it failed to act.
But full marks to the UK regulator on social media: a central target of Miller’s speech was Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, which he accused of allowing illegal gambling advertising to flourish.
But, where’s the fine. This is a business that turned over $200 billion in 2025.Fine them and make that penalty hurt, or are they too big for the Commission to go after?
Perhaps not? He did confirm that the UK government has allocated £26m over three years to tackle illegal gambling and said forthcoming legislation would give the Commission new powers to block IP addresses and domains.
However, he stressed enforcement alone would not succeed.
“No one actor in this space can win this battle alone,” he said. “It’s time to force them to pick a side.”
Miller misses the real target of illegal market
Tim Miller said……. “What due diligence are you doing? What contractual provisions can you put in place to prevent [suppliers] from working with illegal operators?
Originally published on Coinslot on February 2, 2026. Republished with permission.