ECA: Illegal online gambling costs EU countries over €20 billion annually
Yield Sec estimates the shadow online sector at €80.6bn GGR in 2024 and more than €20bn in lost tax revenue across the EU. ECA calls for tougher monitoring and enforcement.
The European Casino Association (ECA) has released the results of a large-scale study showing that illegal online operators already control 71% of the online gambling market in the European Union.
A report by analytics firm Yield Sec shows that in 2024 the shadow sector generated around €80.6bn in gross gaming revenue (GGR) — more than twice the legal segment, which stands at €33.6bn.
It is estimated that this resulted in the loss of over €20bn in tax revenue for EU economies, calculated using an average online gaming tax rate of 25%.
More than 6,200 illegal operators and 81 million users at risk
Yield Sec identified more than 6,200 illegal online platforms actively operating in the EU market and targeting European players.
About 81 million Europeans have either been exposed to illegal services or interacted with them.
The report also highlights that illegal operators actively use digital advertising to reach the most vulnerable groups — including minors and players enrolled in self-exclusion programs.
ECA: the problem can no longer be considered marginal
“These findings confirm what ECA has warned about for years: illegal online gambling is not a peripheral threat, but a serious economic and social challenge,” said Erwin van Lambaart, Chairman of the European Casino Association.
“Every euro lost to criminal operators is a euro stolen from Europe’s citizens, from legal businesses, and from our communities. As ECA, we will continue working with European and national regulators to protect consumers, combat criminal activity, and uphold the integrity of the industry.”
Call to action
The association emphasizes that the scale of the illegal market continues to grow, and weak control and regulatory mechanisms contribute to the spread of shadow services in the EU.
ECA calls for regulatory harmonization, stronger digital monitoring, and tougher prosecution of illegal operators to reduce the outflow of funds from the legal economy and lower risks for consumers.