UK sports piracy surges as illegal streams become a storefront for black-market betting
The article says new analysis links a sharp rise in illegal sports streaming in the UK to the growth of unlicensed betting. It cites estimates of about 3.6 billion illegal sports streams per year, more than double the level three years earlier, and says 89 percent of those streams carry ads or prompts for black market betting sites.
It also claims unlicensed gambling operators made about 379 million pounds in revenue in the first half of 2025, roughly 9 percent of the UK online gambling market, up from about 2 percent in 2022. The piece argues pirate streams have become a direct customer acquisition channel for offshore bookmakers, including audiences that may be underage or self excluded via GamStop.
Finally, it notes growing pressure on UK regulators and points to upcoming policy changes, including the planned Remote Gaming Duty increase to 40 percent from April 1, 2026, alongside added funding for the Gambling Commission, with concerns this could further widen the gap between licensed and offshore offers.
