A second report commissioned by Flutter UK & Ireland on the scale of the UK’s black market has raised further concerns over the illegal sector’s reach, prominence and tactics.
Undertaken by government adviser and antifraud expert Alex Wood, the latest report follows a separate research project he undertook, published in September 2025, on the illicit gambling market.
In his most recent research, Wood found that unlicensed operators continue to fall short in KYC practices, while influencers and social media giants are platforming illegal firms.
For example, in the build up to last month’s Cheltenham Festival, Wood was able to sign up to sites using the names of jockeys Harry Skelton and Jack Kennedy, as well as trainer Willie Mullins.
Wood listed these accounts’ addresses as “Cheltenham racecourse” before being able to bet on races involving Skelton, Kennedy and Mullins.
He was also reportedly able to sign up to other sites under the names of 2023 Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill and 1970s Grand National legend Red Rum.
At another illegal site, Wood listed his age as six-years-old and his address as Buckingham Palace.
The illegal sites investigated include MyStake, Velobet and Cosmobet. MyStake was subject to an investigation last year by gambling industry accreditation and monitoring service GAMRS.
Wood also noted that Meta-owned Instagram was “flooded” with posts from tipsters and influencers, which direct users to offshore bookies via Telegram groups.
He also engaged with WhatsApp’s Meta AI chatbot to enquire about unlicensed firms based in Curaçao.
Screengrabs show Meta AI provided Wood with a list of operators, including MyStake, Velobet and Cosmobet.
Upon signing up with the unlicensed operators, Wood was able to deposit via a range of methods, including Visa, Mastercard, Monzo and Revolut.
Grainne Hurst, Betting and Gaming Council CEO, said: “Reports like this highlight exactly why the government must step up efforts to tackle the growing online black market.
“The new government Illegal Gambling Taskforce must be used to force online platforms to clamp down on illegal operators that are putting consumers at risk.
“These illegal sites don’t promote safer gambling and don’t contribute a penny to sport or to the Treasury. That’s why it’s vital the government works with industry and tech companies to drive out the black market and protect players.”
Wood added: “I’ve been shocked at the sheer amount of illegal, unlicensed gambling content being pushed and promoted online and social media companies have serious questions to answer.”
The post Black market report flags concerns around AI chatbots, Meta and KYC first appeared on EGR Intel.
Flutter-commissioned study by Alex Wood points to Instagram being “flooded” with posts from tipsters influencers promoting unlicensed operators targeting UK consumers
The post Black market report flags concerns around AI chatbots, Meta and KYC first appeared on EGR Intel.