The Gambling Commission (GC) executive director of research and policy Tim Miller has slammed the role of affiliates in facilitating illegal gambling in Great Britain.
Speaking during a panel at iGB Live in London on Wednesday, 1 July, Miller said affiliates are a “big part” part of the threat posed by the black market, often participating in the illegal market themselves by promoting unlicensed operators.
Miller said: “Affiliates and B2Bs [suppliers] are a big part of this problem. Not only are they sometimes helping to facilitate the illegal market, [but] they are the illegal market as well.
“We know from our casework that there are affiliates and B2Bs that have very firmly got a foot in the licensed market that are also providing exactly the same services to the illegal market.
“As we build up our efforts in this space – in the UK and in other countries – B2Bs and affiliates can expect not just regulatory action, but also criminal action if they continue to work with the illegal market.”
Last month, EGR exclusively revealed that black market affiliates were mirroring licensed UK brands in order to drive traffic towards illegal sources. Betfred, Bally’s and Betty IP have all been scraped for these purposes.
Miller also criticised the role of large tech firms in allowing players to access illegal operators, doubling down on a stance he first issued back in January at ICE.
He continued: “The big challenge is stopping illegal websites from appearing in the first place, and I’m not sure if more research is the answer to fixing that.
“The big barrier is that there are a large number of entities that are not playing their role and taking it as seriously as they should.
“I think the tech companies are failing the British people. They’re too reactive in waiting for us and others to tell them about illegal sites when they appear.”
A report commissioned by Flutter UK and Ireland earlier this year raised concerns about scale of the black market in the UK, citing Meta-owned platform Instagram as an example of social media being infiltrated by posts from tipsters and influences promoting unlicensed operators.
Miller himself has previously suggested that Meta has been turning a blind eye to illegal gambling advertising.
In January, Dutch online gambling trade body VNLOK claimed, after auditing the tech giant, the majority of online gambling ads in Meta’s Ads Library in Q4 2025 came from unlicensed operators.
Earlier this week, Miller announced his impending departure from the GC after a 10-year spell with the regulator.
He is set to depart in September, with the GC confirming he will take on “a new role outside of the British regulated gambling industry”.
Miller follows former CEO Andrew Rhodes in departing the Birmingham-based regulator this year, with the latter announcing his exit in February.
Sarah Gardner subsequently stepped into the role of acting CEO, as Rhodes headed to Harris Hagan-founded advisory Hawkbridge.
The post Gambling Commission director: Affiliates a “big part” of black market first appeared on EGR Intel.
Tim Miller says companies providing the same services to both licensed and unlicensed operators can expect criminal, as well regulatory, action moving forward
The post Gambling Commission director: Affiliates a “big part” of black market first appeared on EGR Intel.