Gambling Commission Taps £13.6m Reserves to Fight Unlicensed Betting and Boost Data Tools

The Gambling Commission’s 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts show that at 31 March 2025, the Commission had reserves of £10.88 million, down from £13.6 million at the end of 2023–24.  

The Commission’s budget for 2024–25 deliberately drew on these reserves to fund expanded activity, notably to deliver on new regulatory obligations under the Gambling Act 2005 reforms (the “Review”) and to step up work on illegal markets and data.  

Cash receipts to cover regulation activity (fees etc.) for 2024–25 amounted to £31.66 million (compared with £31.13 million in 2023–24).  

Non‑current assets stood at £1.88 million at year‑end.  

Where the Money Went, Operations, Enforcement, Data and Reform

The report describes 2024–25 as a “busy and productive year” as the Commission pushed ahead with major initiatives under its new three‑year Corporate Strategy, Gambling regulation in a digital age.  

Key spending in 2024–25 went toward significantly expanding the Commission’s operational footprint. The agency conducted more than 9,700 compliance activities, more than double the 4,200 recorded the previous year,  as part of a wider effort to strengthen oversight of licensed operators. It also stepped up enforcement, levying £4.2 million in fines and regulatory settlements across 24 operators.

A major focus was investment in data infrastructure. This included launching a new Data Innovation Hub, hiring data scientists and engineers, and laying the groundwork for automated systems to deliver real-time insight into consumer behaviour and potential illegal activity. The aim was to create faster, more informed responses to regulatory risks.

In parallel, the Commission advanced regulatory reform. One key change involved licensees now submitting their regulatory returns quarterly rather than annually, a move intended to reduce administrative burdens and improve the sector’s data timeliness and accuracy.

Disruption of illegal gambling activity also accelerated. The Commission issued 516 cease-and-desist requests to unlicensed operators, up from 384 the year prior, and sent an additional 352 notices to affiliate marketers promoting these platforms.

The push against unlicensed online activity also saw technical collaboration with search engines and other third-party firms. Through these efforts, the Commission helped remove 95,705 illegal gambling URLs from public view.

Finally, the Sports Betting Integrity Unit (SBIU) focused on integrity across major events, including election-related betting offences and investigations linked to tournaments such as Wimbledon 2024, UEFA Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics.

The Commission also maintained substantial stakeholder engagement, holding forums, conferences and hundreds of senior‑level meetings to encourage compliance, share best practice, and coordinate regulatory effort.  

Progress and Challenges: Tackling Illegal Gambling and the “Black Market”

The 2024–25 report suggests real progress in the Commission’s effort to curb illegal/unlicensed gambling, what many call the “black market.” The sharp rise in cease‑and‑desist requests and the removal of nearly 96,000 illegal gambling URLs indicate an increasingly aggressive and technically enabled disruption strategy.  

The Commission also highlights its growing use of data and analytics to identify unlicensed operators and risky activity, thanks to the Data Innovation Hub and improved industry reporting. 

Nonetheless, the report stops short of claiming a “victory” over illegal gambling. While there are “important strides,” the Commission remains clear that regulation of a rapidly changing digital gambling environment is an ongoing challenge.  

Looking Ahead: Where the Commission Plans to Focus Next (2025–2026 and Beyond)

Under its Corporate Strategy through to 2027, the Commission identifies five strategic priorities: data and analytics; better operational capability; evidence‑based licensee requirements; proactive intervention; and regulation of the National Lottery.  

For 2025–26 the Commission appears to double down on data-driven regulation and illegal‑market disruption: the report states it will build on its Data Innovation Hub and implement a continuous data‑feed system from cooperating operators to give real-time insight into gambling behaviour and emerging risks.  

It also plans to carry forward the reforms initiated in 2024–25, including new licence conditions, enhanced compliance and intelligence infrastructure, and a revamped case management system for licensing, enforcement, and anti‑money‑laundering work.  

Although the report does not explicitly promise major new funding, the earlier drawdown of reserves suggests that the Commission’s budget plan already anticipated increased resource needs and that the 2025–26 work programme will rely at least in part on the remaining reserves.  

Impact of Tax Rises, Number of Regulated Businesses, Prize‑Draw Scams

The 2024–25 report does not directly address whether the recent or upcoming tax rises on gambling will lead to a reduction in the number of regulated businesses, or imply a shift in the market’s structure. Similarly, it does not forecast whether “winners” will emerge among particular sectors (e.g., betting, online casinos, lotteries) as a consequence of tax changes. 

On scam‑type gambling, for example, unscrupulous “prize draw” schemes, the report does not single out prize‑draw scams as a discrete focus. The Commission’s enforcement and compliance work appears focused on traditional gambling operators and unlicensed online gambling; there is no mention of a dedicated prize‑draw‑scam initiative.

Pressure of Growing Tide of Unlicensed Operators 

The Gambling Commission’s 2024–25 results reveal an agency under pressure, dealing with rapid change in the gambling sector, a growing tide of unlicensed online operators, and the challenge of protecting consumers. By drawing down reserves and investing heavily in data, enforcement and compliance, the Commission has laid the groundwork for a more proactive, intelligence‑driven regulatory regime.

For players, the public and policymakers, this matters. Stronger regulation and better detection of illegal gambling could limit exposure to unscrupulous operators, reduce gambling‑related harm, and channel more revenue into legitimate, taxed operators, which in turn supports consumer protection.

There will be uncertainty ahead about how resilient the regulated sector will be in the face of economic and regulatory headwinds.