The European Casino Association (ECA) has warned that illegal online gambling targeting players in EU reached €91.6 billion in 2025. This means, Member States lost €22.9 billion in tax revenue as a result.
The figures were revealed at a high-level roundtable in the European Parliament organized by MEP Lukas Mandl, during which it was stated that the new report is based on ECA’s annual research prepared by Gambling Compliance International (GCI). In the latest report for 2025, it was revealed that illegal online gambling businesses have increased by 14% compared to the previous year.
The ECA pointed out that illegal operators currently make up the majority of all online gambling all over the EU-27 countries and that at least 6,200 illegal companies are currently operating in the EU. The ECA’s report also suggested that European players mostly see advertising banners that promote illegal casinos rather than licensed gaming companies.
The ECA emphasized that, according to the legislation of EU member countries, gambling companies have to ensure that they have a license to operate in each EU country they want to operate, or they will be acting illegally. Licensed companies are required to abide by anti-money laundering regulations, as well as responsible gaming regulations and know-your-customer rules, while illegal gaming businesses are acting without any restrictions.
ECA Chair Erwin van Lambaart said:
Licensed casinos and their online businesses operate under strict rules and invest heavily in responsible gambling and anti-money-laundering measures. Yet illegal operators, often based outside the EU, can reach European consumers at the click of a button, without safeguards, without oversight and without contributing to our communities. This is why we need strong political will and strengthened public-private cooperation that is aligned with this reality. If we fail to act now, the illegal online market will continue to grow at the expense of players, public finances and legitimate businesses
MEP Lukas Mandl said:
Illegal online gambling is not a niche issue, it is a serious cross-border threat that touches on consumer protection, organised crime and the integrity of our internal market. Europol is a crucial partner for Member States, but we must ensure that its mandate and resources allow it to fully support the fight against these illegitimate activities. I will bring these insights into our parliamentary work and encourage colleagues cross-party to jointly go against the negative effects of illegal gambling from mental health issues to existential disasters of individuals and entire families, so that we can better protect citizens and make a clear difference between criminal activities and those operators who play by the rules.
