Survey Finds Three in Four UK Adults Struggle to Spot Illegal Betting Ads

The YouGov survey found that 74% of adults either find it difficult or are unsure how to tell whether a social media betting promotion comes from a licensed UK operator. Just 10% of participants said they find it easy to identify legitimate gambling advertisements online.

These findings come right in the middle of the World Cup and raise fresh questions about consumer awareness. During major sporting events, the battleground between regulated betting operators and the gambling black market is at its peak.

Confidence Doesn't Match Awareness

One of the most striking findings from the survey is the gap between what consumers believe and what they may actually be able to identify in practice^[1].

While 80% of respondents said they would be unlikely to knowingly use an illegal gambling website, the majority also admitted they would struggle to recognise one if it appeared on their social media feeds.

That disconnect could become particularly important during the World Cup, when illegal operators have been using social media platforms and digital advertising channels to reach UK customers.

Public Questions Current Approach

Perhaps the most worrying result from the survey was the lack of faith that the public has in current efforts to tackle illegal gambling.

Only 7% of respondents described UK regulations as ‘very effective’ at preventing illegal gambling. Meanwhile, 33% believe the Government is not doing enough to protect consumers from unlicensed operators.

Despite this, more than half of respondents believe the UK government has a leading role to play in protecting consumers, alongside social media (37%) and financial providers (38%).