25% of Europe's online gambling market is already illegal?

[freedomgo]

This is surprising because its quite big, and we are talking about €12 billion in 2025. That was already in 2025 so probably it has already increased now.. but lets just look at that 25% number and try to analyze what could be the reason.

Heres what I think.

People still trust illegal casinos, not literally illegal but casinos licensed somewhere else, because their withdrawal process is usually easier, not too many KYC requirements just like some popular casinos here in the forum.

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

What are your thoughts on this?


source https://europeangaming.eu/portal/latest-news/2026/09/16/214175/europe-illegal-online-gambling-market-12bn-euromat-study/

[Questat]

This is surprising because its quite big, and we are talking about €12 billion in 2025. That was already in 2025 so probably it has already increased now.. but lets just look at that 25% number and try to analyze what could be the reason.

So this is what regulators should probably look at if they block or ban gambling completely it could become much worse.

AFAIK, gambling is already regulated there, but based on what we are seeing around 25% still goes to unlicensed casinos or illegal casinos as they call it. So of course as a country or regulator you would want to reduce that because that is already a big part of the market outside your control. But with today's technology its really hard to control everything. VPN is easy to use and usually there are overseas casinos that will still allow people to gamble with less KYC or sometimes no KYC at all, so as long as there are operators willing to accept those players its really hard to stop them completely.

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

Maybe the better way is to adapt and improve the regulated side like make it more attractive and less frustrating for players, so they will have less reason to go to unlicensed casinos. I really don't think a full ban is a good solution. ( if they are thinking of that now).. Right now regulators may be losing only a portion of the market to illegal casinos, but if they ban everything then they could lose much more because players will just move elsewhere.

[Darker45]

I think this falls on law enforcement. If a country supports gambling but there are operators who prefer not to go through the proper processes, don't pay taxes, don't submit to regulations, then they should be penalized.

As always, there'll be legal and illegal gambling operations. If illegal gambling operations grow big enough that the government is already losing billions in potential revenue, then a strict crackdown should be implemented.

Of course, it's part of the regulator's job to evaluate why the market tends to move toward illegal operators. Perhaps there's a need to revisit existing regulations and policies. Perhaps there's a need to loosen them up a bit.

[Botnake]

I think this falls on law enforcement. If a country supports gambling but there are operators who prefer not to go through the proper processes, don't pay taxes, don't submit to regulations, then they should be penalized.

Honestly this is what I also don't understand. Lets say they penalize those illegal casinos, how can they really enforce that if the casino is operating in another country?

How can they force them to pay the penalty if they are outside their jurisdiction? If it was that easy, I don't think we would still see illegal gambling growing this big and many gamblers still using those sites. So maybe penalizing them sounds good on paper, but enforcing it against overseas operators is another problem.

[free-bit.co.in]

Tax loss you are thinking about, in reality is far more dire than that. According to ECA and regulatory data, unlicensed offshore gambling market across Europe hold market share of approximately €91.6 billion. As a result European Union country lost approximately €22.9 billion in tax revenue last year.

Primary reason behind player gravitating toward offshore casino is not limited merely to easy KYC or fast withdrawal. Problem actually lies within Europe's one sided and overly stringent licensing framework.

[Darker45]

~snip~

Honestly this is what I also don't understand. Lets say they penalize those illegal casinos, how can they really enforce that if the casino is operating in another country?

How can they force them to pay the penalty if they are outside their jurisdiction? If it was that easy, I don't think we would still see illegal gambling growing this big and many gamblers still using those sites. So maybe penalizing them sounds good on paper, but enforcing it against overseas operators is another problem.

I agree. It must be hard. And I don't think any government regulator would exert too much effort as to chase them or prosecute them wherever they're licensed from. Perhaps they just settle with a ban and have its website blocked in their jurisdiction.

But casinos are legal entities and they also have their mother companies which are also legal entities, so if a government is really serious in bringing them to accountability, they probably could do it.

[Smack That Ace]

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

What are your thoughts on this?

So many rules and regulation have now been imposed on player at licensed European local casino that the true fun of casino experience is totally ruined.

Take Germany for instance, under OASIS system, there are numerous restriction, including monthly deposit cap of €1000, speed limit of 5 second per spin, mandatory auto blocking etc.

When any player faces such extensive regulation and scrutiny regarding their own money, offshore and no KYC platform can become comparatively more appealing to them.

[Russlenat]

Primary reason behind player gravitating toward offshore casino is not limited merely to easy KYC or fast withdrawal. Problem actually lies within Europe's one sided and overly stringent licensing framework.

So the license is only part of the problem. It means only a limited number of casinos can operate legally, but for me thats not enough reason why illegal gambling keeps growing.

Even one licensed casino can already handle thousands or maybe even millions of users so lack of licensed casinos alone should not create that much demand for illegal ones. There must be something that illegal casinos are offering that licensed casinos don't have, and that is what attracts the gamblers. If it's not the kyc thing, then what is it?

[Cointxz]

Heres what I think.

People still trust illegal casinos, not literally illegal but casinos licensed somewhere else, because their withdrawal process is usually easier, not too many KYC requirements just like some popular casinos here in the forum.

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

What are your thoughts on this?

EU license casino is probably more safe and reliable compared crypto casino with Curacao and Anjouan license.

What I’m thinking about their reason is mainly due to bonuses and VIP benefits since crypto casino is offering much higher rewards and returns with their VIP benefits based on my experience playing locally licensed online casino compared to crypto casino available to the forum.

Fast withdrawal is already common on reliable casino regardless if it’s EU license or Curacao license. They just compete now on games and bonus they offer.

[_act_]

I think this falls on law enforcement. If a country supports gambling but there are operators who prefer not to go through the proper processes, don't pay taxes, don't submit to regulations, then they should be penalized.

Honestly this is what I also don't understand. Lets say they penalize those illegal casinos, how can they really enforce that if the casino is operating in another country?

It is not easy like that. Some of the gambling sites are not easy to deal with because they may not really be known and they are not in Europe. Even if the government want to go against them, the major one among them will be gone for, not many of them. But if there is no major one among them that is well known and recognizable, it will be difficult for the government to do anything. If they go for the major, that also does not mean other ones will not continue operating.

[Julien_Olynpic]

I think the trend toward illegal casinos gaining ground will only intensify over time. Users generally don't care whether they play at a legal or illegal casino. If a casino is illegal, that doesn't mean they're scammers. And generally, if a person trusts an illegal casino, and the casino itself justifies that trust, why should we deprive ourselves of the pleasure? Ultimately, I believe most casinos will become illegal, just as Bitcoin was briefly considered an "illegal" asset.

[Gozie51]

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

What are your thoughts on this?

It is actually on government to go after the 25% that is using their resources to run their casinos without remittance as tax. It is huge in my view. The government is doing a disservice to the legitimate casinos who they compete with because they can afford to use the non tax remittance fund to further entice gamblers in the form of welcome bonuses, conditional wager benefits, better odds etc.

As for players, they will go to the casino that they feel gives them more benefits and advantages to potential winning irrespective of termed illegal, if they are getting easy withdrawals on their winning.

[Natalim]

I think the trend toward illegal casinos gaining ground will only intensify over time. Users generally don't care whether they play at a legal or illegal casino. If a casino is illegal, that doesn't mean they're scammers. And generally, if a person trusts an illegal casino, and the casino itself justifies that trust, why should we deprive ourselves of the pleasure? Ultimately, I believe most casinos will become illegal, just as Bitcoin was briefly considered an "illegal" asset.

For us regular users we don't really care that much if the casino is legal or illegal in our own country. Most of the time what we look at is if they have a license somewhere and if they are reputable. Regulators look at it differently though, if the casino is not licensed in their country but still accepts their users, then they consider it illegal.

For me the main issue here is really on the government side because the more players go to those overseas casinos, the more tax they lose. 

They always say local licensed casinos give players more protection, but man in real life the experience is not always that different. If you know how to choose, you can still use a reputable overseas casino even if its not licensed locally, as long as they are properly licensed somewhere else.

[Zlantann]

What are your thoughts on this?

In addition to some of the factors that have been highlighted in this thread, a study by the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) stated that an average of 23% of students aged 15 to 16 in Europe have reported having gambled for money.

Since underage gamblers can easily have access to illegal gambling platforms, they might be contributing to the increase in the income of these unregistered casinos.

https://www.euronews.com/2025/08/06/hedging-bets-who-are-the-people-driving-up-gambling-figures-in-europe

[Frankolala]

Since underage gamblers can easily have access to illegal gambling platforms, they might be contributing to the increase in the income of these unregistered casinos.

Of course, that's it. These illegal casinos have their customer target which is why they don't bother to ask customers for KYC and some of them try to build their reputation to get you hooked up with them. Some people are just gambling in any casino that was introduced to them by their closed ones without checking if they are illegal or not. I can understand why some casino operators do go to another country to carry out illegal gambling to flee from paying of tax and fine it caught. However, I don't think that government can stop illegal gambling.

[EdenK_Dmrsl78]

The growth of illegal online gambling is a serious issue. Many players choose unlicensed platforms because of bonuses and fewer restrictions, but they often have no real protection if something goes wrong. Clear regulations and reliable licensing are important for both players and the industry.

[Powerjumboo]

I think this falls on law enforcement. If a country supports gambling but there are operators who prefer not to go through the proper processes, don't pay taxes, don't submit to regulations, then they should be penalized.

Honestly this is what I also don't understand. Lets say they penalize those illegal casinos, how can they really enforce that if the casino is operating in another country?

It is not easy like that. Some of the gambling sites are not easy to deal with because they may not really be known and they are not in Europe. Even if the government want to go against them, the major one among them will be gone for, not many of them. But if there is no major one among them that is well known and recognizable, it will be difficult for the government to do anything. If they go for the major, that also does not mean other ones will not continue operating.

If the government wants and the administration is active, then it will not be very easy to do any illegal work from any country, moreover, it is not very easy to do any illegal work in European countries, rather it is very difficult, because the law-making system is developed in developed countries. Illegal gambling sites are being run by evading the government and they are providing various benefits to the customers, but all illegal casino platforms that do business by evading the government can be caught by the government at any time.

[PostQuantumBTC]

Some people are just gambling in any casino that was introduced to them by their closed ones without checking if they are illegal or not. I can understand why some casino operators do go to another country to carry out illegal gambling to flee from paying of tax and fine it caught. However, I don't think that government can stop illegal gambling.

What if I told you that most people that are using illegal gambling sites know that the gambling sites are not legal. Even if you are within the underage children that are using it to gamble, you will see how smart they are that they know that it is not legal. They also know the best ones that will not seize their money.

Yes, illegal gambling can not be fully stopped. The sites that are providing the service are many. Also what it there are some regulators that are bribed.

The growth of illegal online gambling is a serious issue. Many players choose unlicensed platforms because of bonuses and fewer restrictions, but they often have no real protection if something goes wrong. Clear regulations and reliable licensing are important for both players and the industry.

There are many legal gambling sites that have good bonuses and other promotional offers

[5W-KILO]

This is surprising because its quite big, and we are talking about €12 billion in 2025. That was already in 2025 so probably it has already increased now.. but lets just look at that 25% number and try to analyze what could be the reason.

Heres what I think.

People still trust illegal casinos, not literally illegal but casinos licensed somewhere else, because their withdrawal process is usually easier, not too many KYC requirements just like some popular casinos here in the forum.

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

What are your thoughts on this?


source https://europeangaming.eu/portal/latest-news/2026/09/16/214175/europe-illegal-online-gambling-market-12bn-euromat-study/

I am sure that I don't use illegal casinos but what if illegal casinos are offering no KYC for real? Wouldn't people leave the KYC casinos and run after these illegal casinos?

Because if we think about it very well, illegal casinos can easily say no KYC and stay on it for the time they will be running their business, even if the law and regulators comes they have no reason to wait around, they can close at any time.

It's just a thought.

[goldkingcoiner]

This is surprising because its quite big, and we are talking about €12 billion in 2025. That was already in 2025 so probably it has already increased now.. but lets just look at that 25% number and try to analyze what could be the reason.

Heres what I think.

People still trust illegal casinos, not literally illegal but casinos licensed somewhere else, because their withdrawal process is usually easier, not too many KYC requirements just like some popular casinos here in the forum.

So imagine how much the government is also losing from that 25%, because if those players are using regulated casinos then probably they could collect millions or even billions in taxes, though im not sure how much their tax rate is.

What are your thoughts on this?


source https://europeangaming.eu/portal/latest-news/2026/09/16/214175/europe-illegal-online-gambling-market-12bn-euromat-study/

I think the problem is not that they are gambling on illegal gambling sites but rather that those sites are considered illegal by most of the EU in the first place. People want to gamble and if they want to, they will find a way to do it. That's why a legal site would be safer.

But I doubt they trust them. They just have no other choice...