On the day Italy celebrates Legality Day, the gaming sector, globally, faces an inevitable reflection: how present and widespread is illegal gambling, and how truly effective is the global control system against the illegal market?
The figures that emerged in recent days from an international report by Gaming Compliance International (GCI) paint a far from reassuring picture, at least regarding online gambling. According to the analysis, in 2025 the total value of unregulated online gambling reached $5.9 trillion (that is, more than approximately 5 billion billion euros) globally, up from $5.7 trillion in 2024.
This is an enormous figure that captures the scale of a parallel ecosystem made up of offshore operators, unlicensed platforms, crypto casinos, illegal betting, and new hybrid models difficult to intercept with traditional regulations. According to GCI, approximately 78% of the global online gaming market is now attributable to unregulated operators, while only 22% is operated by authorized entities.
The figure takes on even greater weight when read in the context of Legality Day. Because the issue concerns not only unfair competition against regulated operators, but also consumer protection, the protection of minors, anti-money laundering efforts, and digital security.
GCI has defined the unregulated sector as the third largest economy in the world, exceeding in size most nations after the United States and China. The report also classified unregulated online gambling as the largest form of cybercrime globally.
The report further emphasizes how the boundary between legal, illegal, and “unrecognized” platforms is becoming increasingly blurred. GCI speaks of a “White Noise Marketplace,” a market in which users struggle to distinguish between authorized offerings and unregulated services.
Among the most concerning phenomena are: the expansion of crypto casinos; unregulated prediction markets; sweepstakes platforms; betting systems linked to illegal streaming and social networks.
According to various analyses, illegal advertising is also playing a decisive role in the growth of the phenomenon, directing millions of users toward offshore operators.
It should be noted, however, that the value of $5.9 trillion represents the total amount wagered (“handle“) and not the actual revenue of operators. Nevertheless, even when adjusted for actual profit margins, the black market for online gambling remains one of the largest and least controlled digital economies on the planet.
And in Italy? Things are certainly no better here either, quite the opposite. As also emerged in recent days from the Nexus observatory, there has been a real boom in illegal online gambling in the country: a market worth approximately 20 billion euros. The analysis estimated over 4.5 million Italian users involved and more than 13 million registered accesses between January and March 2026.
On a symbolic day like May 23, the message coming from the global gaming industry – and not just from Italy – is clear: the battle for legality concerns not only the fight against traditional crime, but increasingly also involves the digital realm. And online gaming, today, represents one of the most sensitive fronts.
(Image generated with AI for Gn Media)
