ICE Barcelona 2026: UK Gambling Commission Calls on Industry to “Pick a Side” Against Illegal Gambling

During his speech on Monday, 19 January 2026, Tim Miller highlighted the growing risks posed by illegal gambling operators and stressed that protecting consumers, the licensed industry and public revenues requires decisive, coordinated action across the entire gambling ecosystem.

Understanding the illegal market and its impact

Miller detailed the work carried out by the Gambling Commission over the past year to better understand the scale and nature of the illegal market. Based on data collected over a 12-month period, the Commission published a series of reports revealing that motivations for gambling on illegal sites are more complex than often assumed.

According to the findings, a significant proportion of users accessing illegal gambling platforms are individuals who have already self-excluded through GamStop. Other groups include players attracted by better bonuses, cryptocurrency payments, or those who land on illegal sites unintentionally.

Alongside research, the Commission has intensified enforcement efforts. Between April and December 2025 alone, it issued 592 cease-and-desist notices, reported nearly 328,000 URLs to search engines, disrupted more than 600 illegal websites, and referred hundreds of sites for delisting. Miller emphasized that these figures only reflect actions that can be publicly disclosed.

A shared responsibility beyond regulation

While acknowledging progress, Miller argued that regulation and enforcement alone are not enough. He warned that illegal operators threaten licensed businesses, consumers and taxpayers alike, and called on the industry to reflect on its own role in unintentionally enabling the illegal market.

Suppliers, affiliates, advertisers, tech firms and platforms that serve both licensed and unlicensed operators were singled out as a growing concern for regulators worldwide. Miller stated that while legal action is sometimes possible, cross-border realities often limit its effectiveness, making industry-led commercial pressure a critical tool.

He urged companies to make collaboration with unlicensed operators “commercially toxic” by strengthening due diligence, embedding anti-illegal market measures into procurement and contracts, and imposing strict consequences on partners that work with illegal operators.

Social media platforms under scrutiny

A significant portion of the speech focused on social media companies, particularly Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram. Miller criticized the continued presence of ads for illegal “not on GamStop” casinos targeting self-excluded British consumers, arguing that such advertising is easily identifiable through Meta’s own ad library tools.

He questioned claims that platforms are unaware of these ads, suggesting instead a willingness to turn a blind eye while continuing to profit from criminal activity. Miller noted that regulators and taxpayers around the world are effectively being forced to do the platforms’ policing work for them.

Looking ahead: funding and new powers

Concluding his address, Miller welcomed the UK Government’s announcement of an additional £26 million in funding over the next three years to tackle illegal gambling. He also highlighted forthcoming legislative changes that will grant the Commission powers to suspend IP addresses and domain names linked to illegal activity.

However, he stressed that lasting success depends on collaboration. Governments, regulators, industry and international partners must act together, using regulation, legislation, technology and commercial leverage to dismantle illegal gambling networks.

“No one can win this battle alone,” Miller concluded, reinforcing his central message: the gambling industry must choose where it stands. “It’s time to work together. It’s time to force them to pick a side.”