UK's Betting and Gaming Council launches online quiz to highlight risks of illegal gambling sites

The UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has launched an interactive online quiz aimed at helping consumers identify unregulated gambling websites, as industry concerns grow about the expansion of black market operators.

Named “Spot The Black Market,” the online game presents participants with a series of mock screenshots from gambling platforms and asks them to determine which are licensed and which operate outside the regulated market. The exercise is intended to illustrate how closely illegal operators can replicate the visual design and branding of legitimate gambling sites.

According to the BGC, many users struggle to distinguish between legitimate platforms and those that operate without regulatory oversight.

The game guides users through common warning signs that may indicate an illegal website, including the absence of a visible Gambling Commission license number, questionable payment methods, and unclear or irregular terms and conditions. The quiz aims to demonstrate how easily unregulated operators can imitate legitimate services.

A BGC spokesperson said: “This campaign is about exposing the hidden dangers of the black market. These unregulated sites deliberately mimic trusted brands but play by none of the rules that keep people safe.

“Our new Spot The Black Market game shows just how easily consumers can be deceived, and reinforces the importance of choosing licensed, protected operators."

Studies conducted in European markets suggest that many players are unable to reliably identify whether a gambling site is operating legally. Industry groups say this lack of awareness increases the risk that consumers may inadvertently use unlicensed platforms that do not provide standard regulatory safeguards.

The launch of the game comes amid growing policy debate in the United Kingdom about the scale of the online gambling black market. A study commissioned by the BGC in 2024 estimated that as much as £2.7 billion ($3.63 billion) is staked annually with unregulated operators online in the UK.

Illegal gambling websites do not contribute tax revenue or provide financial support to sports organizations, notes the industry body. In contrast, the regulated betting and gaming sector contributes approximately £6.8 billion ($9.15 billion) to the UK economy each year, generates around £4 billion ($5.38 billion) in tax revenue, and supports about 109,000 jobs.

Concerns about black market activity have also surfaced in recent parliamentary discussions about gambling policy. A debate held in January followed confirmation from the government that remote gaming taxes would increase, a measure originally announced in November.

Some policymakers warned that higher costs for players could drive greater use of unregulated gambling services if licensed operators become less competitive. These concerns have prompted calls for closer monitoring of the level of channelization, which refers to the share of gambling activity taking place through licensed platforms.

The "Spot the Black Market" game can be played here.