Recently, a roundtable discussion was held in the European Parliament about combating unlicensed gambling activities. During the event, estimates of the illicit online gambling market's size were presented.
According to data from the European Casino Association, this market generated a total of €91.6 billion last year. This represents a 14% increase compared to 2024. Additionally, its revenue exceeded that of the legal online gambling segment.
The European Chamber of Commerce expressed concern over this situation. By rough estimates, the rise of the illicit online gambling market resulted in EU countries losing about €22.9 billion in taxes in 2025.
At the conclusion of the roundtable, industry representatives and regulators called for enhanced cooperation between EU countries, law enforcement agencies, and digital platforms to combat illegal operators and limit their access to European consumers.