CFG estimates that €91.6 billion of online gambling revenue in the EU‑27 operates outside local regulation due to enforcement gaps
Executive summary: CFG released an analysis showing that the unregulated online gambling economy in the EU‑27 is worth €91.6 billion, with 72 % of online gambling revenue escaping local regulation because of enforcement deficits. The scale of the unregulated segment points to significant foregone tax income for EU governments and raises concerns about consumer protection and market fairness.
Who is involved: CFG (research provider), EU‑27 member states, national gambling regulators, and online gambling operators.
Likely next: EU authorities may consider strengthening enforcement mechanisms and harmonising gambling rules, although no specific forthcoming actions have been announced.
The analysis by CFG finds that 72 % of the gross gaming revenue from online gambling in the 27‑EU member states is not captured by national regulatory frameworks. This shortfall stems from uneven implementation of EU gambling rules across member states, creating a sizable unregulated market. The figure highlights potential losses in tax revenue and challenges for consumer protection efforts.
What's next — scenarios
Regulatory Harmonization Blitz (25%)
Increased tax compliance for major operators and higher administrative costs for cross-border scaling.
- EU Commission directive on gambling standards
- New member state enforcement task force
Prolonged Fragmentation (Base Case) (55%)
Market leaders maintain high margins through jurisdictional arbitrage while smaller players face local-only constraints.
- Stable tax rates in key markets
- No new EU-wide enforcement mechanism
Black Market Expansion (20%)
Consumer protection liabilities increase as unregulated entities gain market share through aggressive non-compliant advertising.
- Rise in reported fraud in unregulated sites
- Increased budget allocation for cybersecurity in gaming
What to watch
- Next 30 days: EU Commission reports on digital services enforcement
- Next 60 days: Tax revenue disclosures from major EU gambling regulators
- Next 90 days: Implementation updates on cross-border digital taxation rules
Timeline
- — CFG : L'ÉCONOMIE EUROPÉENNE DES JEUX D'ARGENT NON RÉGLEMENTÉS ESTIMÉE À 91,6 MILLIARDS D'EUROS (PR Newswire)
Analysis — what this means
Sectors affected
- Online gambling
Key entities
Sources
- CFG : L'ÉCONOMIE EUROPÉENNE DES JEUX D'ARGENT NON RÉGLEMENTÉS ESTIMÉE À 91,6 MILLIARDS D'EUROS — PR Newswire
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