UKGC Secures £26 Million Boost for Wider Action on Illegal Gambling

A clearer direction for gambling oversight in Great Britain took shape after Andrew Rhodes used the BACTA Annual Convention to explain how new government funding will shift the UK Gambling Commission into a more active phase. The tone was direct and practical, with Rhodes describing how more resources finally give the regulator room to act instead of simply react.

Good to Know

• UKGC received £26 million over three years aimed directly at illegal gambling enforcement
• Land-based GGY hit £4.8 billion in the last reporting year
• British gambling market reached £16.8 billion overall GGY

A Broader Enforcement Push Begins

Rhodes told the room that the fresh Budget allocation represents “the first time in many years” that a government decision changed what the regulator can actually do on the ground. He said the nine-fold increase in dedicated illegal gambling funding stands out in his twenty years of public-sector work. The message was clear: enforcement around land-based activity will become far more active.

He referenced updated UKGC data as part of his explanation. For the year ending 31 March 2025, Great Britain saw £16.8 billion in Gross Gambling Yield across the regulated market. Land-based venues such as bingo halls, betting shops, casinos and arcades produced £4.8 billion of that total. Across the country, 8,234 licensed premises operated during the period, with betting shops holding most of the footprint at 5,825 locations.

Rhodes pointed out that even with stable GGY numbers, there was a small contraction in the land-based environment, including a loss of 36 Adult Gaming Centres and a slight drop in the number of licensed operators. He framed illegal venues as a direct threat to player protections and legitimate businesses that follow rules and pay compliance costs.

The regulator previously had limited capacity for site inspections and disruption operations, and Rhodes explained that the extra funding now lets the UKGC “do much more in the land-based space”. He listed deeper monitoring, more field activity, and a more confident approach to tackling unlawful operators as key areas that will improve.

Why Illegal Activity Stays a Priority

Rhodes also mentioned casework involving failures in self-exclusion processes and other required safeguards. Those examples, he said, show why more resources matter. Enforcement is not only about financial penalties. Instead, the Commission wants operators to compete fairly while maintaining safety standards that match public expectations.

The upgraded budget allows the Commission to run a more proactive model, one that works on prevention and disruption rather than slow reaction. Rhodes described a future where operators see clearer expectations, while unlicensed venues face regular pressure rather than sporadic attention. He told attendees that the goal is a stable marketplace where legal operators feel supported and illegal operators face steady intervention.

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