Gambling Commission Research Finds TikTok Fuels Illegal Raffle Boom

^{The TikTok app, where the Gambling Commission found illegal individual-led lotteries and raffles are increasingly promoted to UK consumers. (Photo: Solen Feyissa / Wikimedia Commons)}

The Gambling Commission has published new consumer research showing that people taking part in illegal, individual-led lotteries and raffles on social media care more about whether a draw looks genuine than whether it is actually legal.

The regulator's research, released on 13 August and led by its Research and Impact Manager Rupam Jagota, examined how UK consumers engage with unlicensed lotteries and raffles promoted on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. The Commission commissioned Yonder Consulting to run a three-stage study after its intelligence team recorded a rise in reports of suspected illegal draws on TikTok in 2025 compared with 2024.

Low Prices and Informal Presentation Mask the Risk

Yonder's researchers analysed a year of public TikTok raffle-related conversations, then ran a quantitative survey followed by qualitative interviews. The digital intelligence stage mapped how participants typically discover these draws, often through livestreams, algorithmic recommendations and reposts, and how activity frequently moves off-platform to payment apps and private messaging.

The findings showed that low ticket prices, informal presentation and the use of familiar payment methods reduced how risky consumers felt these raffles were, making them less likely to report concerns to the Commission. Some smaller-scale hosts did not appear to fully understand gambling law, the research found, while others used language and payment practices that obscured what they were running.

'The greatest risks to consumers often appeared beyond the original social media post advertising the raffle or lottery,' the Commission said, noting that participants are frequently directed to third-party websites or private channels with less clear terms and protections.

Younger Users Most Exposed, Commission Says

The survey found that people aged 18 to 24 were more likely than older age groups to have encountered or taken part in these draws on TikTok. Researchers said they struggled to recruit enough younger participants for the qualitative interview stage, leaving a gap in understanding of how this age group's engagement with individual-led lotteries develops over time.

The Commission said the research pointed to the need for clearer guidance for individuals and small businesses on what is and is not permitted under the Gambling Act, alongside more visible enforcement where activity looks deliberate or persistent. It also called for closer monitoring of external websites and peer-to-peer payment methods that draws are often pushed toward once a consumer engages.

The publication follows a string of enforcement actions the regulator has taken against unlicensed operators in recent months, including a case involving a man arrested for allegedly providing unlicensed gambling in the UK. It also comes after the Commission tapped £13.6 million of its reserves earlier this year to fund a fresh push against unlicensed betting and expand its data-analysis capability.

The Commission said future research should explore whether engagement with illegal lotteries and raffles could act as a gateway into other forms of gambling, and which combination of enforcement and consumer communication is most effective at reducing participation.

The full consumer research report is available on the Gambling Commission's website.