Entain has warned that illegal gambling promotion is no longer operating at the fringes of the UK market, publishing research identifying more than 30 unregulated operators actively targeting British consumers through coordinated influencer networks across seven major social media platforms.
Independent OSINT researchers commissioned by the Ladbrokes and Coral parent company found 72 instances of unlicensed operator promotion across Kick, Twitch, X, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook in May alone. The research identified AI-generated YouTube personas guiding users through VPN workarounds and identity verification bypasses, while at least 12 football tipsters covering Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United were found posting identical betting tips – a hallmark of coordinated campaign activity rather than organic content.
Bejay Patel, Entain’s UK and Ireland managing director, said:
“As the Men’s World Cup is underway, this research is a wake-up call to government, regulators and law enforcement agencies that illegal gambling promotion is not operating at the fringes but is now operating at scale in the UK with co-ordinated networks primed to target millions of UK fans during the tournament. It also raises serious questions about whether regulators and enforcement agencies have the powers and resources needed to tackle the highly coordinated illegal gambling promotion effectively, particularly across global social media platforms.”
Entain named Stake – owned by Easygo alongside streaming platform Kick – as among the most prominent unlicensed platforms targeting UK consumers. Stake ceased UK operations following a Gambling Commission investigation that also drew in white-label partner TGP Europe, but has since launched a global marketing campaign featuring Sergio Agüero, Eden Hazard and Iker Casillas. The Coalition to End Gambling Ads separately confirmed its investigators were able to open accounts, deposit funds and gamble at Donbet and Mystake from Great Britain, with some games carrying the branding of British licence holders.
The Gambling Commission acknowledged the enforcement challenge, noting that “the burden of proof required to bring a successful prosecution is high” and pointing to ongoing work with domain registrars, payment providers and international partners to disrupt illegal operators. The Betting and Gaming Council said its members “categorically deny supplying content to black-market operators accessible to customers in the UK,” adding that initial enquiries suggested some branded games displayed on illegal sites are fake and unplayable.
The warning lands as the regulated sector faces its own fiscal headwinds – Entain CEO Stella David has warned that the increase in remote gaming duty to 40% risks undermining the viability of the licensed market, an argument the industry has consistently linked to the competitive threat posed by untaxed offshore operators. The Gambling Commission’s recent raid on an unlicensed premises in Manchester illustrates that enforcement activity is ongoing, though Entain’s research suggests the scale of the online black market is outpacing the current regulatory response.
Renata Kovacs has spent the better part of a decade following the regulatory shifts and licensing battles that define how gambling markets open, close, and evolve across Europe and beyond. She came up through the legal and compliance side of the industry before shifting her focus to journalism and analysis, giving her a perspective that sits closer to the operator room than the press box. Her coverage tends to cut through the noise and get straight to what a regulatory change actually means for the businesses and players involved.