Europe’s online gambling market reveals a €91.6 billion unregulated segment, highlighting a major enforcement gap in the EU‑27
Executive summary: EU27 analysis published by CFG on 23 September 2026 found that 72% of online gambling gross gaming revenue (GGR) – equivalent to €91.6 billion – is unregulated. The scale of the unregulated segment signals a major enforcement gap, threatening tax revenues, consumer safeguards, and level playing field for licensed operators.
Who is involved: EU27 regulators, national gambling authorities, the research group CFG, and online gambling operators.
Likely next: EU institutions are expected to review the gambling framework and consider stronger harmonised rules or enforcement measures to reduce the unregulated share.
The analysis by CFG estimates that €91.6 billion, or 72% of the EU‑27’s online gambling gross gaming revenue, operates outside national regulatory frameworks. This gap stems from uneven enforcement of gambling rules across member states, leaving a large share of wagers untaxed and potentially exposing consumers to weaker protection. The figure underscores the scale of the regulatory challenge facing EU authorities as they seek to harmonize gambling oversight. It also raises questions about lost fiscal revenue and the effectiveness of current cross‑border cooperation mechanisms.
What's next — scenarios
Base: modest enforcement tightening (50%)
Regulatory actions reduce the unregulated share by ~5‑10 percentage points over the next two years, modestly increasing tax receipts.
- EU Commission issues a guidance note on gambling enforcement by Q1 2027
- Member states report increased cross‑border cooperation in 2026‑27
- National regulators publish updated licensing compliance data
Upside: strong EU crackdown (30%)
Coordinated EU measures cut the unregulated GGR share to below 50 %, boosting regulated market revenue and tax income.
- EU adopts a revised Gambling Services Directive by mid‑2027
- European Gambling Authority launches mandatory reporting scheme
- Several major member states announce higher penalties for unlicensed operators
Downside: enforcement gap widens (20%)
Lack of coordinated action lets the unregulated share grow to over 80 %, eroding regulated market revenues and consumer protection.
- No new EU gambling legislation proposed in 2026‑27
- Member states maintain divergent licensing regimes
- Illegal offshore operators increase marketing spend in EU
Timeline
- — CFG : EUROPE'S €91.6 BILLION UNREGULATED GAMBLING ECONOMY (PR Newswire)
- — CFG: La economía del juego no regulado en Europa, valorada en 91.600 millones de euros (PR Newswire)
- — CFG: EUROPAS UNREGULIERTE GLÜCKSSPIELWIRTSCHAFT IM WERT VON 91,6 MILLIARDEN EURO (PR Newswire)
- — CFG : L'ÉCONOMIE EUROPÉENNE DES JEUX D'ARGENT NON RÉGLEMENTÉS ESTIMÉE À 91,6 MILLIARDS D'EUROS (PR Newswire)
- — CFG: Neregulovaný hazardní průmysl v Evropě v hodnotě 91,6 miliardy eur (PR Newswire)
Analysis — what this means
Sectors affected
- Online gambling
Key entities
Sources
- CFG : EUROPE'S €91.6 BILLION UNREGULATED GAMBLING ECONOMY — PR Newswire
- CFG: La economía del juego no regulado en Europa, valorada en 91.600 millones de euros — PR Newswire
- CFG: EUROPAS UNREGULIERTE GLÜCKSSPIELWIRTSCHAFT IM WERT VON 91,6 MILLIARDEN EURO — PR Newswire
- CFG : L'ÉCONOMIE EUROPÉENNE DES JEUX D'ARGENT NON RÉGLEMENTÉS ESTIMÉE À 91,6 MILLIARDS D'EUROS — PR Newswire
- CFG: Neregulovaný hazardní průmysl v Evropě v hodnotě 91,6 miliardy eur — PR Newswire
Related cases
- CFG analysis reveals €91.6bn unregulated online gambling market across EU-27, with 72% of gross gaming revenue outside national regulatory perimeters
- CFG estimates that €91.6 billion of online gambling revenue in the EU‑27 operates outside local regulation due to enforcement gaps
- EU’s unregulated online gambling market valued at €91.6 billion, with 72 % of revenue escaping national oversight
- The EU‑27’s online gambling market is largely unregulated, with €91.6 billion of revenue falling outside national oversight