Regulators Across Europe Tighten Enforcement Against Illegal Online Casino Operators

The broader online casino landscape in Europe is one of regulation and player protection. In such an environment, regulators across numerous regions are taking firmer stances against illegal online casino operators. As illegal online casino operations are pushed out, much of Europe offers players the option to engage in regulated and safe online casino gaming.

As the various gambling markets across the European continent continue to mature, one thing is common among them: Governments and regulators are tightening enforcement and pushing illegal online casino operators out. We can see that as online casino markets mature and regulatory bodies get firmer understandings of player safety and protections, the fight against illegal online operators becomes something that is taken much more seriously. Not only do governments and regulators want to display that they are concerned with player protections, but combating illegal operators also matters for disrupting money laundering operations and helps to protect the regulated markets that exist in much of Europe.

Let's take a closer look at how the wider crackdown on illegal online casino operators across Europe reflects the continuing maturity of Europe's diverse regulated online casino markets. This crackdown should be seen not as a restriction of player options, but rather as a continuation of the regulators' attempts to bring players safe online casino options. Many of the best online casino platforms in the world are ones that are regulated and safe in their respective markets, providing players with great choices to play at.

European Regulators Work Together Against a Common Threat

While the online casino environment across Europe is a fragmented one, with each country, and sometimes regions within countries, having a different set of regulatory rules and laws, a number of Europe's biggest regulatory bodies have recently started working together.

On the 25th of November last year, regulators from many of the biggest online gambling ecosystems in Europe made a joint statement. Regulators from Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal and Spain all made a public commitment that they would aid each other in the fight against illegal online casino operators. The through-line of the statement was that the threat of illegal gambling is a challenge that these regulators view as demanding the unified action of the entire continent.

Among the things that this commitment to work together entails are the sharing of data, coordinating efforts to enforce restrictions on illegal operators and overall stronger collaborative efforts between the disparate regulatory bodies. While the exact frameworks for how this cooperation and cross-border enforcement will function remain largely theoretical, the formalized agreement to work together is a huge step in the fight against illegal gambling on the European continent.

How Big is the Illegal Online Gambling Problem?

A question that is often asked around this topic is: how big is the illegal online gambling problem really? And the answer is: it's huge. That is, the number of unlicensed operators that offer gambling services to European residents is huge.

While by their very nature, it is difficult to ascertain exactly how many of these operators there are, some estimates made in 2024 suggested that more gambling was taking place on illegal platforms, by far, than was occurring on licensed and regulated platforms. An article on iGamingToday.com claims that a European Casino Association study conducted in 2024 identified 6,200 illegal sites targeting European consumers. This same article claims that 71% of online gambling activity in Europe in 2024 occurred on illegal platforms.

While these numbers are old, there is no reason to think that the problem has diminished since then. In 2024, the number of illegal sites had grown by more than a quarter since the previous year, and despite regulatory crackdowns, this number is likely to have continued growing throughout 2025.

While some might not consider illegal online gambling platforms to be a threat to consumers, they can be. With no regulatory oversight, player protections like game fairness, player privacy and responsible gambling initiatives can easily be absent. These illegal operators can also often be tied to money laundering schemes and other illegal activities. In many markets, their very existence harms the regulated and safe online gambling options that are presented.

Which Regions Are Helming the Fight?

As well as the unified front that we discussed earlier, there are a few regions that are doing more to combat illegal online gambling than others.

The Netherlands

Despite not being part of the joint effort begun late last year, the Netherlands has still shown that it will not tolerate illegal gambling activities. Most notably, Dutch regulators have targeted the promotion of illegal gambling heavily. With a focus on newer forms of advertising and promotion, the Kansspelautoriteit (Gaming Authority) is focusing on social media promotion, affiliate networks and also on payment intermediaries.

By taking the steps to hold third-party actors accountable, the Kansspelautoriteitseeks to cut down on the marketing practices that illegal gambling operators use to reach Dutch players.

Germany

Over the last year, the German federal gambling regulator, the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has taken steps to curtail marketing and payments for illegal gambling operators. Over 30 blocking orders have been issued to payment servicer providers, and affiliates and media platforms have been issued with stern cease and desist orders and fines.

United Kingdom

Not for nothing is the UK often considered the gold standard of consumer protection and player safety across modern gambling markets. The UK Gambling Commission continues to adapt and expand its abilities to ensure that players in the region are well protected.

Similar to the other regions mentioned here, the actions of the UKGC over the last couple of years have included issuing cease and desist notices, the removal of illegal domains and a general shift towards targeting illegal gambling advertising. The idea that the UKGC, and many other regulatory bodies, are working under is that it isn't enough to simply target operators, but the ecosystem surrounding them as well.

European Players Have Plenty of Regulated Options

For European fans of online casino gaming, this broader regulatory crackdown should be seen as a good thing! All of the regions that we have discussed have regulated online casino markets that are at various stages of maturity, but which provide residents with a range of options to choose from.

All of these regulatory bodies are working, not to stop players from accessing online casino games, but to make sure that when they do engage with only casino gaming, they are doing so in a safe and responsible manner.

Final Thoughts

Regulatory bodies across Europe are tightening enforcement measures against illegal gambling operators and uniting to face what they see as a threat to the entire continent. But this doesn't mean that players will see worse options for online gambling. These regulators seek to ensure that player protections are strong and that consumers are able to safely engage in regulated online gambling.