UK Gambling Lobby Puts Illegal Premier League Bets at $1.09B
Key TakeawaysBGC says the black market may take up to $1.09B in Premier League bets this season.The Premier League put a voluntary front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship ban in place for the season.The UK‘s new prime minister, Andy Burham, is looking to revoke the Gambling Act’s “aim to permit” duty. Trade Body Forecast Arrives in Disruptive Period The Betting and Gaming Council said on Aug. 24 that the illegal gambling black market is expected to take up to $1.09 billion in bets across the Premier League season that began Aug. 21, with around $27 million staked with criminal operators over the opening weekend. The trade body forecast a further $272 million increase next season, taking the annual figure to roughly $1.36 billion, which it attributed to Aprils planned increase in General Betting Duty. The statement says the $1.09 billion is “expected,” the $272 million increase is “forecast,” and that “analysis suggests” a typical weekend sees between $20 million and $27 million staked with unlicensed operators. No research firm is credited for those figures, and no methodology is published. The opening-weekend number is also stated two different ways within three paragraphs: first as money already staked, then as an expectation that the first round of fixtures