Key Moments:
- Frankie Foster features in a Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) campaign warning of the dangers of unlicensed gambling sites in Britain.
- The BGC reports that approximately 1.5 million UK residents are wagering up to £4.3bn annually with unlicensed operators.
- The UK government has not announced plans to raise gambling taxes but recently conducted a consultation on unifying online gambling tax duties.
Frankie Foster Shines a Spotlight on Black Market Gambling
Noted horseracing presenter Frankie Foster appears at the forefront of a new Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) video initiative designed to demonstrate how readily accessible black market gambling platforms are in Britain. The campaign seeks to alert policymakers that increasing taxation on regulated gambling, especially in horseracing, could exacerbate the problem.
🚨 Racing presenter Frankie Foster warns: tax hikes on regulated betting will only fuel the black market.⁰1.5m Brits already gamble on unlicensed sites, staking £4.3bn a year – with zero tax, zero protections, and zero investment in sport.⁰
Watch the video👇 pic.twitter.com/hb2ZVhMB2R
— Betting and Gaming Council (@BetGameCouncil) September 13, 2025
Regulatory Developments and Industry Warnings
The campaign launches as the British Gambling Commission introduces its Illegal Gambling Hub, a platform created to coordinate resources targeting illicit online gambling. The regulator has also released an inaugural report to better understand why consumers are turning to unlicensed operators and how the illegal market is evolving.
According to the BGC, around 1.5 million people in the UK are engaging with unlicensed sites, collectively wagering up to £4.3bn each year. The BGC emphasizes that these operators avoid UK taxes and do not comply with regulatory standards.
Demonstrating the Ease of Access to Illegal Sites
The video features Frankie Foster as he swiftly registers with an unlicensed gambling provider, proceeding to deposit and bet almost instantly. Notably, the process avoids any age verification checks, raising concerns about player protection.
Concerns Over Confusion and Increased Taxation
A YouGov poll indicated that nearly one-third of bettors lack confidence in distinguishing between regulated UK platforms and black market alternatives.
”The danger is clear,” the BGC said. ”Raising taxes on responsible, regulated betting firms will not generate more revenue for the Treasury. Instead, it will drive more customers towards the black market, where there are no protections, no investment in sport and no contribution to the public finances. Black market activity could already be costing the Government £335 million in lost revenue over the course of a five-year Parliament.
”By contrast, the regulated betting and gaming industry is a vital part of the UK economy. It contributes £6.8 billion in gross value added, pays £4 billion in taxes and supports 109,000 jobs in towns and cities across the country. It also has some of the toughest safer gambling rules anywhere. Each month around 22.5 million people in Britain enjoy a bet and the overwhelming majority do so safely and responsibly. As Frankie makes clear in the video, balanced regulation and a stable tax system are essential.”
Industry Leaders React to Government Consultation
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst added: “Get the balance on tax and regulation wrong and you hand a competitive advantage to the black market, where operators pay no tax, contribute nothing to British sport, and offer no safer gambling protections. The black market is growing and actively targeting UK customers. Any tax rise, whether on betting or gaming, makes that offer more attractive and puts more players at risk.”
Potential Policy Changes Under Consideration
The UK government has clarified that it has not put forward any proposals to increase gambling taxes at this time. However, authorities have recently completed a consultation regarding plans to merge three separate online gambling taxes into a single Remote Gaming and Betting Duty. While the Treasury has not indicated a proposed rate, some stakeholders in the industry express concern that this consolidation could result in higher taxation on horseracing bets.
| Key Figures | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated number of Brits using unlicensed sites | 1.5 million |
| Annual wagers with unlicensed operators | £4.3bn |
| Potential lost revenue to government over five years | £335 million |
| Regulated industry gross value added | £6.8 billion |
| Regulated industry tax paid | £4 billion |
| Jobs supported by regulated industry | 109,000 |
- Author
Daniel Williams
