UK Gamblers Say Strict Restrictions Favor the Black Market

The UK's Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) recently commissioned a study via YouGov, and the results are here. The research revealed that 79% of punters in the country feel that more regulations on gambling could drive them to unregulated "black market" sites. The study also points out that 70% of Brits would look for a different online casino site if asked to provide "private financial documents" before betting.

These revelations coincide with the Cheltenham Festival, a four-day event, arguably the biggest horse racing competition in the UK and worldwide. The sport is set to generate around £274 million for the local economy and an estimated £1 billion ($1.2 billion) in betting stakes. 

The BGC is worried that the "affordability" checks imposed on gamblers by the UK Gambling Commission and online casino sites will push people into the gambling black market. Additionally, the body says some gamblers may refuse to comply with these checks. 

Meanwhile, the new report comes as the United Kingdom Government prepares to release the Gambling White Paper. This paper contains new regulations on betting and gaming. 

Concerns of Millions of Punters

According to the BGC CEO, Michael Dugher, this analysis is one of the numerous studies highlighting the worries of countless everyday gamblers who feel that the individuals responsible for betting decisions have no experience in it and have never wagered themselves.

"We want to see genuinely non-intrusive checks, which use technology to carefully target and protect the tiny minority of vulnerable punters, but intrusive, blanket, low level so-called 'affordability' checks will be universally rejected by punters," he added. 

In another recent BGC report, Brits using illegal betting sites have increased from 210,000 to 460,000. The body says that the amount of money gambled is in the billions. Additionally, a further study uncovered that the number of people using unregulated online black market gambling sites had tripled during the 2022 World Cup.