UK Gambling Commission Identifies Four Groups Driving Use of Illegal Gambling Sites

The UK Gambling Commission has identified four distinct groups of consumers who use illegal online gambling websites, finding that motivations range from frustration with licensed platforms to deliberate attempts to bypass self-exclusion controls. The findings suggest that a single public-awareness or enforcement message is unlikely to address every route into the unregulated market.

Published on 20 October 2026, the third phase of the regulator’s Consumer Voice research programme was conducted by Yonder Consulting. The study combined digital intelligence, a large-scale survey and in-depth interviews to examine the factors that lead consumers towards gambling websites operating outside the UK’s licensing framework. The research included a survey sample of 4,000 respondents.

The Commission identified four broad consumer profiles: “Accidental Tourists”, “Social Explorers”, “Self-Excluders” and “Skill Advocates”. Each group approaches illegal gambling differently, meaning that the factors encouraging one consumer to use an unlicensed website may have little influence on another.

Accidental Tourists generally enter the illegal market without setting out to do so. Their behaviour may follow frustration with the products, services or restrictions offered by licensed operators. They can encounter unlicensed platforms while searching for alternatives, rather than deliberately deciding to leave the regulated market.

Social Explorers are more pragmatic in their approach. They tend to look for convenient offers and experiences, and recommendations from friends, family or other users can influence their choices. For this group, friction in the licensed market may be viewed as an inconvenience that makes alternative websites more attractive.

Self-Excluders represent a different risk profile. These consumers are aware of their vulnerability to gambling-related harm but seek ways to continue gambling after registering with GAMSTOP, the UK’s online gambling self-exclusion scheme. Unlicensed websites may appeal to them because they do not operate within the same domestic licensing and self-exclusion framework.

Skill Advocates are more sceptical of gambling operators, government and regulatory intervention. They may interpret identity verification, restrictions or delays in receiving withdrawals as evidence of excessive interference, and turn to unlicensed websites in pursuit of what they perceive as greater personal freedom.

The Commission’s research indicates that access-related issues are among the strongest factors associated with illegal gambling website use. Searches for platforms that are not connected to GAMSTOP and websites requiring limited personal information are particularly significant. Other attractions include perceived anonymity, fewer checks, faster withdrawals and alternative payment options.

The findings also show that online searches containing the phrase “not on GamStop” have developed beyond their original association with people seeking to circumvent self-exclusion. The phrase is increasingly used as a broader search term for websites perceived to offer fewer restrictions or a more straightforward user experience. This creates a pathway through which consumers who are not necessarily trying to evade self-exclusion can discover unlicensed gambling platforms.

Digital advertising, social media discussions and affiliate activity can further influence consumer behaviour. Promotional material and claims by anonymous users about winning substantial amounts on unlicensed websites may appear persuasive, particularly when they are shared within online communities. Such content can compete with safer-gambling information and warnings about the risks of using unregulated operators.

Google searches for “not on GamStop” in the UK were reported to have increased by 120% year on year. The increase highlights the visibility of this route into the illegal market, although search activity alone does not establish how many people subsequently gamble on unlicensed websites or whether the same individuals are responsible for repeated searches.

The Commission has acknowledged that illegal gambling website use remains a behaviour undertaken by a small minority of people who gamble. The research is therefore intended to explain the motivations of this particular group, rather than to suggest that illegal gambling is widespread among the entire adult gambling population.

The study also found that consumers may experience some of the same frustrations on illegal websites that they encounter in the regulated market, but without equivalent protections. Unlicensed platforms do not provide the safeguards associated with UK regulatory requirements, potentially exposing consumers to greater risks concerning responsible gambling, complaints, payment disputes and the handling of personal information.

The findings present a challenge for regulators, licensed operators and organisations providing gambling-related support. Measures designed solely to deter consumers from bypassing self-exclusion may not reach people attracted by convenience, minimal identity checks or recommendations from peers. Similarly, messages about regulatory compliance may have limited influence on consumers who distrust authorities or view restrictions as unnecessary interference.

The Commission has also highlighted the role of major online platforms in the wider digital environment and said it is taking action involving social media and internet companies. Addressing the visibility of illegal gambling websites therefore extends beyond direct enforcement against operators to include the online channels through which consumers discover and assess them.

The research provides a basis for developing more targeted responses to illegal gambling. Potential approaches include improving awareness of the risks associated with unlicensed platforms, addressing consumer frustrations within the regulated market where appropriate, strengthening interventions around self-exclusion circumvention and reducing the reach of promotional content for illegal services.

The central finding is that illegal gambling is not driven by a single motivation. Effective responses will need to account for the different reasons consumers enter the market while maintaining the protections required of licensed operators. The Commission’s research offers a more detailed picture of those motivations, but does not suggest that any single intervention will eliminate illegal gambling website use.

By fLEXI tEAM