The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that unlicensed gambling operators could take around £1bn in bets during the 2027/28 Premier League season, as the UK’s regulated betting market faces higher taxes and tighter controls.
The industry body estimates that illegal operators could handle approximately £800m in bets during the current Premier League season, which began last week. It expects that figure to rise substantially in the following campaign, reaching the £1bn mark.
The warning puts renewed focus on the growing competition between Britain’s regulated betting sector and offshore operators, particularly around one of the country’s biggest sporting events.
Higher taxes raise concerns over illegal betting
According to the BGC, upcoming changes to UK gambling taxation could contribute to the expansion of the black market.
Remote Gaming Duty has already increased from 21% to 40%, while General Betting Duty is scheduled to rise from 15% to 25% in April.
The council argues that higher costs for licensed operators could make illegal websites more attractive to some customers, particularly as unlicensed businesses do not pay UK gambling taxes or operate under the same consumer protection requirements.
The BGC has also raised concerns over the proposed introduction of Financial Risk Assessments, arguing that additional checks could potentially push some bettors towards offshore alternatives.
Millions could be wagered illegally every weekend
The scale of the issue becomes particularly visible during Premier League weekends.
The BGC estimates that between £15m and £20m could be wagered through illegal betting sites on a typical Premier League weekend.
Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, said regulated operators provide customers with safeguards that are absent from the illegal market.
She warned that offshore operators can accept bets without meeting the same standards for safer gambling, financial controls and consumer protection.
Black-market brands remain linked to Premier League clubs
The debate has also moved beyond taxation and regulation, with illegal operators continuing to appear in commercial relationships with Premier League clubs.
The BGC and several licensed gambling companies have criticised the fact that unlicensed brands can still secure sponsorship arrangements within English football.
Entain has been particularly vocal on the issue, raising concerns with the Independent Football Regulator, the Premier League and clubs that have entered into agreements with operators that are not licensed to serve British customers.
One of the most notable examples involves Everton, which continues to have a commercial relationship with Stake, despite the operator having withdrawn from the UK market last year.
The BGC believes such partnerships can make illegal betting brands more visible to football audiences and potentially undermine efforts to direct customers towards regulated operators.
A growing battle for the Premier League bettor
The dispute highlights a wider challenge for the UK gambling market: how to maintain strong consumer protections without creating conditions that could drive players towards unregulated alternatives.
With the BGC forecasting £1bn in black-market Premier League betting by 2027/28, the organisation is calling for action from both policymakers and football authorities.
For the regulated sector, the concern is not only the money being lost to offshore operators, but also the tax revenue and consumer safeguards that disappear with it.
As the Premier League season gets underway, the battle for British bettors is being fought on two fronts — between licensed and unlicensed operators, and over how far regulation can go before it starts pushing customers in the opposite direction.