BGC Warns £40m Could be Staked on Black Market During Royal Ascot

While most betting activity is expected to take place through licensed operators, the BGC says unregulated websites will still target the event and profit outside UK safeguards.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has warned that illegal gambling operators could take up to £40m in stakes during this week’s Royal Ascot, as it steps up calls for government, regulators and technology platforms to take stronger action against the growing black market.

Royal Ascot, one of the centrepieces of the British horseracing calendar, runs from 16–20 June 2026. The five-day festival attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators on course, alongside millions of viewers and bettors across the UK and internationally, making it one of the most significant betting events of the year.

While most betting activity is expected to take place through licensed operators, the BGC says unregulated websites will still target the event and profit outside UK safeguards.

The warning comes amid mounting concern over the scale and growth of the black market. Independent analysis from WARC suggests unlicensed operators now account for nearly half of gambling industry advertising spend, while forecasts from H2 Gambling Capital indicate wagers placed with illegal operators could rise from £17bn this year to more than £33bn by 2028.

The BGC has warned that policy changes such as tax rises and stricter affordability checks risk weakening the regulated sector and unintentionally pushing customers towards illegal operators.

“The illegal black market offers customers none of the protections found in the regulated sector, while making no contribution whatsoever to the sport they seek to profit from,” BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst said.
“As evidence continues to show the black market is growing, it is vital that policy decisions support a thriving regulated market which protects customers and helps keep gambling crime at bay.”

She added:

“Royal Ascot is one of the most celebrated events in world horseracing, generating enormous excitement among fans both in the UK and around the world. Unfortunately, major events like this also attract the attention of criminal gambling operators, eager to exploit that interest for their own profit.”
“The illegal black market offers customers none of the protections available in the regulated sector, and contributes nothing to the sport from which it profits. As evidence shows that the black market is growing, it is crucial that policy decisions support a thriving regulated market that protects customers and helps deter gambling crime.”

The BGC has also written to major technology companies, urging them to take stronger action against illegal gambling content spreading across social media, search engines, messaging apps and digital advertising networks.

It called for platforms to remove illegal ads more quickly, disrupt operator networks, increase cooperation with regulators and improve protections for vulnerable users, including those who have self-excluded.

“Technology companies have some of the most advanced tools, data and expertise in the world,” Hurst said. “The question is no longer whether this problem can be addressed, but whether enough is being done.”
“Every consumer drawn towards an illegal operator is being pulled away from the protections of the regulated market. We are calling on technology platforms to match the scale of the threat with the scale of their response.”

The BGC argues that a strong regulated market is essential to protect consumers, support British horseracing and safeguard tax revenues. Licensed operators contribute more than £4bn annually in tax, support around 109,000 jobs, and provide vital funding to the racing industry.

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