UK gambling news round-up February 2026
No let-up in gambling industry news as 2026 starts to take shape. A number of major developments are already unfolding. This Slot Gods UK news roundup includes everything from suspected scandals and fond farewells to national-level developments.
New data reveals sports betting forecasts
A new survey from Online Betting Guide (OLBG) has revealed some interesting sports betting statistics, including 2025 participation and 2026 expectations.
In 2025, 9% of UK adults bet on sports at least once per month while 4% only gambled on non-sports events.
Regions where figures were highest included Northern Ireland, the Midlands and London, then Scotland and Wales. Those bringing the average down included the East, North and South of England.
Gender gap
There’s a well-established gender gap in sports betting, with men betting more than women. But OLBG’s CEO Richard Moffat pointed out that this isn’t as pronounced as it could be, and that the gap is closing, a pattern “which could be partly driven by the continued growth of women’s football in the UK”.
Key events
Looking ahead, almost a third of UK adults plan to place a bet in 2026. The biggest betting event remains The Grand National, followed by the Cheltenham Festival, then the FA Cup and Champions League Finals.
The Grand National’s lead in this race is significant, with around 13 million UK adults planning to place a bet. These stats suggest a healthy sports betting market as well as an enduring nostalgic element – the FA Cup Final and Grand National being among a handful of national sporting events that have continued to capture the nation's fascination for decades.
Ex-GVC/Entain bosses lose in court
Kenny Alexander, former Chief Executive of GVC Holdings, now Entain, has suffered a setback after losing a case against the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). The case was based on allegations that the regulator mishandled confidential information during a 2023 investigation.
Alexander and ex-colleague Lee Feldman had attempted to invest in 888, now Evoke. Given the pair’s history with Entain, the UKGC questioned whether they were suitable investors, and the bid was ultimately abandoned.
The UKGC’s original concerns were tied to an HMRC investigation into bribery linked to GVC’s Turkish operations. As a result of that investigation, Entain agreed to pay a £585m financial penalty, a £20m charitable donation and £10m in legal costs.
Alexander and Feldman launched proceedings against the UKGC in 2025, arguing that the regulator had improperly handled sensitive personal information.
However, the courts have now dismissed the claim in full, not only rejecting the case, but also ordering the claimants to pay the Commission’s legal costs.
Isle of Man doubles down on iGaming
The Isle of Man has sought to reaffirm its significance to the global gambling market. A statement issued by Chief Minister, Alfred Cannan in January 2026 stated that iGaming remains an “important and successful sector”, while also making clear that future growth will be tied to stronger governance.
The statement, in some respects, pre-empts upcoming investigations, including into international anti-money laundering standards. It also stresses a new “quality over volume” approach, which is not intended to stall business growth, but to ensure responsible regulation of the many operators who trade from the island.
Consolidation
For operators, this will likely mean tighter regulatory standards, but this can also be read as an effort to solidify the Isle of Man’s position in the industry, and encourage investor confidence.
iGaming accounts for 14.2% of the Isle of Man’s economy. It appears understandably keen not to disturb this while improving regulatory standards.
Fear that tax increases could boost black market
In April 2026, Remote Gaming Duty is set to rise from 21% to 40%, taking a big bite out of online operators’ profits. At the same time, General Betting Duty will rise from 15% to 25%.
Many are supportive of the move. However, concerns have been voiced by MPs, industry commentators and the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) who fear that these changes will result in even more players being pushed towards the black market, and ultimately a loss of jobs in the legitimate market.
Higher taxes eat into the profit margins of operators, potentially even pushing the smaller operators out of the market by rendering them unable to compete.
MP Louie French stated this clearly: “When policy decisions, including sharp tax rises, weaken the legal, regulated market [...] the activity does not stop, but moves to the illegal market. [...] Evidence from abroad shows such displacement to the black market, where there are no age checks, safeguards or accountability.”
BGC CEO, Grainne Hurst, voiced similar concerns, urging the government “to take an evidence-led approach that supports jobs and growth, protects funding for charities and avoids rewarding the illegal and harmful black market”.
Reckless disregard
It’s been said before that, for the legal market to remain an attractive option, operators need to be able to trade competitively, and this move suggests a potentially reckless disregard for this. Not only that but any significant move by players to the black market will ultimately also see reduced tax revenues for the Government.
GambleAware going out on a high
In April 2023, GambleAware launched the ‘Let’s Open Up About Gambling’ initiative, and the results for the three-year campaign are in. According to a GambleAware-commissioned report by Ipsos UK, the program has been a big success.
It’s reported that the Let’s Open Up About Gambling campaign resulted in a 90% increase in players’ awareness of safer gambling.
Despite the victory, GambleAware’s Director of Marketing Emma Munro-Faure took the opportunity to draw attention to the issue of gambling advertising.
Munro-Faure stated that “stigma remains a major barrier, and with gambling companies spending £2bn a year on advertising, we need stronger restrictions and clearer signposting to the free help and support available.”
GambleAware’s work will continue until 31 March 2026, when its responsibilities will be transferred to the NHS under the new mandatory levy system.
Dramatic departure for BGC’s Dugher
The Betting and Gaming Council announced that Michael Dugher will be stepping down from his position as Chair after 6 years. For the BGC, this marks the end of an era, and the departure of an influential figure who played a key role in the BGC’s early years.
Dugher has commended the work done by the BGC in his time there, particularly their approach to dealing with the Gambling White Paper Review.
Dugher highlighted that “in an era when there is sadly so much ignorance and snobbery about betting – not helped, in my view, by the decline in the number of working-class people in Parliament – the BGC did a difficult job”.
“This resulted in a White Paper that, though not without its challenges, avoided many of the most draconian and disproportionate measures advocated by anti-gambling prohibitionists.”
Praise for Dugher came from within the BGC, as well as from major operators including Flutter. Dugher’s tenure has overlapped with turbulent years in the industry, and his shoes will be difficult to fill.