EU Illegal Gambling Data Puts Brussels Enforcement Gap in Focus
The European Casino Association has put a new figure on the scale of illegal online gambling in Europe. According to figures presented at a European Parliament roundtable, the illegal online gambling market aimed at EU consumers reached €91.6 billion in 2025.
New Figures Raise the Stakes
The illegal online market aimed at EU consumers increased by around 14% from the previous year. According to the ECA, the market deprived EU member states of an estimated €22.9 billion in tax revenue.
The study was commissioned by the ECA from Gambling Compliance International. Its 2025 figures were presented by ECA Chair Erwin van Lambaart during a roundtable hosted by MEP Lukas Mandl.
A Market Built Across Borders
The size of the market is now one of the main concerns for regulators. According to the ECA, more than 6,200 illegal operators are actively targeting European consumers.
That makes the issue difficult for national authorities to handle alone. A single gambling website can serve players from a number of different countries simultaneously. Such sites can switch domain names, payment routes, and marketing channels faster than many enforcement measures can work.
The roundtable meeting included EU institutions, national gambling authorities, law enforcement officers, and other parties. Among those who participated in the meeting were the European Commission, AMLA, Eurojust, and the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol.
The Legal Line Is Clear
The ECA has also objected to the concept of “grey market” in Europe. In essence, it means that an operator is legal if it has the necessary license for its operation in the country where it serves players. If it operates without such a license, then it is considered illegal.
This distinction matters for enforcement. Licensed operators have to comply with gambling laws, anti-money-laundering measures, and responsible gambling regulations of the particular country. Unlicensed operators operate outside those licensing systems and avoid the safeguards applied to regulated companies.
Illegal websites also put players at higher risk in the form of inadequate identity verification, aggressive bonus offers, weak age and identity checks, and no reliable complaint channel.
Europol Reform Adds Timing
The debate came as the European Commission was discussing possible changes to Europol’s mandate. This added an enforcement dimension to the roundtable.
The problem of illegal gambling is no longer considered to be purely gambling-related. For EU authorities, this problem also connects with money laundering, consumer protection, and abuse of digital means. The key question is whether the authorities will be able to cooperate and react promptly enough.
Expert View
The figures do not point to a lack of gambling laws in Europe. They point to a gap between national licensing systems and a market that works across borders. Blocking domains and warning players may help, but they will not be enough on their own. The next step is practical cooperation: faster data sharing, payment disruption and clearer routes between gambling regulators, financial intelligence units and EU enforcement bodies.