New Taskforce Targets Black Market Amid UK Gambling Tax Changes

The UK’s clampdown on illegal gambling is moving from talk to action, with Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross launching a new Illegal Gambling Taskforce designed to disrupt unlicensed operators targeting British players.

Set to run over the next year, the taskforce will bring together government, regulators, industry bodies, technology firms, and payment providers in a coordinated effort to make the black market harder to access. In a statement shared via the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Baroness Twycross said the aim is to ensure people who choose to gamble can do so safely, with the right protections in place.

The Slow Build-Up

Concern about illegal gambling has grown steadily in recent years, particularly as online betting and gaming have expanded. Trade body the Betting and Gaming Council has repeatedly warned that a sizeable share of UK gambling now takes place outside the regulated system, estimating that around 1.5 million people stake up to £4.3 billion a year with unlicensed operators.

A survey conducted last year also suggested more than £10 million had been deposited with black market sites by adult consumers alone. A notable portion of that spending was from individuals experiencing gambling harm. The same research further highlighted how some self-excluded players continue to gamble elsewhere.

Industry Backing

The Betting and Gaming Council has welcomed the formation of the task force. The involvement of those sectors points to a focus not just on operators themselves, but also on the financial and digital channels that allow illegal sites to reach UK customers.

Although detailed enforcement plans are yet to become public, the structure suggests a more collective approach than previous efforts, with intelligence sharing and coordinated disruption likely to play a central role.

The taskforce also arrives at a time of major fiscal change for the regulated sector. The government has confirmed that Remote Gaming Duty will rise from 21 percent to 40 percent from April 2026, while general betting and gaming duties, excluding retail, will increase from 15 percent to 21 percent from April 2027.

During debates over those tax rises, licensed operators warned that higher costs could risk pushing some customers toward offshore alternatives. In response, ministers pledged to strengthen action against the illegal market. The new task force appears to be an early step in delivering on that commitment.