Entain has published new research highlighting the growing scale and sophistication of illegal gambling promotion targeting UK consumers, warning that activity is likely to intensify during the FIFA World Cup.
According to the study, UK-facing illegal gambling operators already employ organized networks of influencers, content creators, and tipsters through their social media channels.
New research conducted by Entain showed that illegal gambling promotion has become an ‘always-on’ presence in football, gaming, and influencer content that young consumers continually view.
The study included 72 identified instances of UK-facing promotion were linked to over 30 unregulated gambling websites.
The study also identified that gambling promotions are present across major platforms including X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch, with many prominent footballers acting as ambassadors for overseas gambling brands — examples included Sergio Agüero, Eden Hazard and Iker Casillas.
Additionally, AI-generated YouTubers promoting methods to circumvent gambling restrictions and services to bypass gambling restrictions via VPNs and identity verification were also identified in the study.
The study found betting-tipster and football fan accounts with coordinated affiliate campaigns related to clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Man, where 12 or more comments posting the same betting tip at the same time, without any commercial relationships, were found on the same post.
The streaming platform Kick was noted as a primary location where illegal gambling is promoted, influencers utilize their referral codes, affiliate links and other incentives to lure potential customers to overseas operators.
Bejay Patel, MD UK and Ireland at Entain, said:
As the Men’s World Cup is underway, this research is a wake-up call to government, regulators and law enforcement agencies that illegal gambling promotion is not operating at the fringes but is now operating at scale in the UK with coordinated networks primed to target millions of UK fans during the tournament. It also raises serious questions about whether regulators and enforcement agencies have the powers and resources needed to tackle the highly coordinated illegal gambling promotion effectively, particularly across global social media platforms.
