The Illegal Online Gambling Market in the EU Reached €80.6 Billion in 2024

The analytics platform Yield Sec, commissioned by the European Casino Association (ECA), published a study of the illegal online gambling market across the 27 EU member states for 2024. The iGN editorial team highlights the following key findings:

Market Volume

• €114.3 billion — combined GGR of the legal and illegal markets
• 71% — share of the illegal market by GGR (€80.6 billion)
• 29% — share of the legal market by GGR (€33.6 billion)
• 6,220 — illegal operators active in the EU market (+26% YoY)

Tax Losses

• €20.2 billion — tax revenue lost due to the illegal market
• €8.4 billion — tax revenue collected from the legal market

Impact on Consumers

• 92% — share of gambling-related online content promoting illegal operators
• 118 million — EU residents who gambled online in 2024
• 81 million — those who gambled with illegal operators

Yield Sec notes a significant imbalance: legal operators are subject to regulatory oversight, pay taxes, and face restrictions on products and advertising, while illegal operators operate without limitations and thus gain a competitive advantage in attracting players.