Is the black market in gambling winning the game?

The online gambling black market is thriving in Europe despite the efforts of regulators, taking advantage of legislative delays, fragmented regulation and players’ attraction to more permissive platforms. In France, the lack of regulation for online casinos leaves a vacuum that is being exploited by offshore sites, while in Germany, Ireland and Sweden, legal frameworks are struggling to keep pace with illegal operators. Even in Switzerland, often cited as a model, underground platforms are making headway thanks to lower costs and a lack of tax constraints. The real challenge lies in an overhaul of the regulatory model and effective international cooperation, without which the black market will continue to dominate the online gambling industry.

No one wants to say it out loud, but everyone knows: the online gambling black market is no longer just an emerging problem. It is a growing parallel industry, fuelled by regulatory loopholes, political slowness and strategic inaction. While the authorities announce measures and regulators publish reports, illegal sites are cashing in – quickly, discreetly, massively.

This is not a passing storm, it’s a new climate. And this climate stretches from France to Poland, via Germany, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland.

France: the exception that benefits others

In France, the situation is almost absurd. The country remains one of the few in Western Europe not to have legalised online casinos. As a result, a market estimated at more than €2 billion is largely captured by sites based in Curaçao, Anjouan or elsewhere, sometimes even without a licence.

Physical operators are calling for greater protection. Digital platforms are calling for clear regulation. But neither side is being listened to.

Germany: one law, little impact

With the GlüStV 2021 treaty, Germany has attempted to structure the sector. Yet every month, more than a million Germans bet on unauthorised sites. The lack of real controls, the administrative burden on legal platforms and the public’s passivity in the face of the phenomenon make the fight ineffective.

Meanwhile, payment gateways such as BLIK are allegedly – indirectly – helping to feed these illegal sites.

Ireland: time is against regulation

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) is actively working to introduce a new licensing system. The problem is that the first wave is not expected until the end of 2026. In the meantime, the black market is thriving unhindered.

Illegal operators still have almost two years to establish their digital dominance. An eternity on the scale of the Internet.

Sweden: a small number, a lot of damage

Officially, only 5% of Swedish gamblers use unauthorised sites. But this figure conceals a darker reality: practices such as ‘skin bets’ and affiliate promotions target young people with opaque means, often backed by cryptocurrencies.

The regulator, Spelinspektionen, is powerless to deal with sites that do not meet Swedish linguistic or banking criteria.

Switzerland: a fragile model in the face of unfair competition

Switzerland is often held up as an example, with its 20-year licences, clear rules and strong focus on responsible gambling. Yet illegal operators do not hesitate to defy Swiss standards. Their strength? Fewer constraints, more winnings.

Swiss casinos are responding with one of the strictest player protection codes in Europe. But in the long term, without tax and regulatory harmonisation, even the most solid models risk erosion.

Why does the legal machine stall?

The problem is not a lack of effort. Regulators issue warnings, NGOs run awareness campaigns, and parliamentarians debate amendments. The real problem is scale, speed and technology.

One illegal site closed? Five more appear. One legal loophole closed? Another exploited. As long as legislation remains national, illegal operators will continue to think globally.

The player at the centre of the problem

Perhaps the biggest loophole is the user himself. They don’t always know the difference between a legal site and a fraudulent one. If they pay, if they win, and if the experience is smooth, they will come back.

Black market sites have clearly understood this: simplified user experience, fewer identity checks, higher return rates, preserved anonymity… everything is designed to appeal.

Is a way out of the crisis still possible?

Yes, but on one condition: that governments stop seeing this as a temporary bug. We need :

• Rapid international cooperation.
• Involvement of the tech sector in regulation.
• A rethought, more flexible and digitally-oriented licensing model.
• A simplified and competitive tax system.

Without this, the black market will continue to grow. And with it, risks for consumers, tax losses for governments and the suffocation of honest operators.