Illegal online gambling market in Europe reaches 12 billion euros
Euromat says Europe's illegal online gambling market has tripled in six years, reaching an estimated 12 billion euros in net revenue. Its chairman, Jason Frost, argues that taxes and regulatory restrictions have fueled the unregulated market and called for a coordinated Europe-wide response.
A study commissioned by Euromat found that Europe's illegal online gambling market generated approximately 12 billion euros in net revenue in 2025. This figure represents a threefold increase compared with 2019 and accounts for 25 percent of the European online gambling sector.
The study, prepared by Regulus Partners and the consultancy Helios, examined 28 European markets. Researchers analyzed web traffic, digital marketing data and economic indicators together. The findings suggest that high taxes, product and advertising restrictions, and spending limits are steering consumers, often unintentionally, toward unlicensed sites.
Euromat chairman Jason Frost said that while the burden on licensed operators has grown, illegal competitors have expanded with almost no oversight. According to Frost, the main concern is player protection. Betting limits, self-exclusion options and safeguards for customer funds available on licensed sites disappear for players who move to illegal sites.
The research has been shared with national regulators, members of the European Parliament, EU bodies and Interpol. Euromat plans to use the findings as the basis for a programme of discussions with policymakers. Frost said that the transparency of the methodology gives regulators a strong basis for questioning current approaches.
Filip Jelavić of Helios argued that restrictions that narrow consumer choice or disrupt existing play habits push customers outside the regulated market.
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