Andrew Rhodes Calls for Global Unity on Crypto and Illegal Gambling

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has outlined its evolving strategy for a digital-first era, with Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes using his keynote at the 2025 International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) Conference to highlight the convergence of data, technology, and consumer behavior shaping the future of gambling regulation in Great Britain.

Rhodes’ address—and the UKGC’s subsequent publications—draw a unified picture: data-led enforcement is expanding, crypto and unlicensed gambling are pressing priorities, and collaboration among regulators is more critical than ever.

A Market in Transition: Digital Habits, AI, and Emerging Pressures

Speaking in Melbourne, Rhodes noted that the British gambling landscape has matured into a stable yet dynamic sector. Participation “is stable at around 48 per cent of the adult population,” he said, with the total market valued at roughly £15.6 billion, excluding lotteries. Remote gambling accounts for “£6.9 billion… 60 per cent of the whole shape of our market,” with online casino games—especially slots—“dominating the remote sector with £4.4 billion in 23/24.”

These trends, he explained, mirror wider digital patterns, with “95 per cent of adults [having]

the Internet at home,” averaging “over 4 hours online a day, 75 per cent of which is on smartphones.” This technological ubiquity, coupled with artificial intelligence, has transformed the industry’s interaction models. Operators now employ generative AI to enhance consistency in safer gambling communications, a notable shift from the inconsistent practices observed just a few years ago.

Rhodes cautioned against excessive “hyper personalisation,” which can heighten gambling intensity, urging firms to find balance. The Commission, he added, is handling far more enforcement cases than before, citing a “300 per cent increase in the number of criminal cases we were taking as a regulator.”

Crypto’s Near-Term Challenge and the Expanding Illegal Market

Rhodes identified cryptocurrency as one of the UKGC’s most imminent regulatory challenges. While licensed British operators do not currently offer crypto gambling, he acknowledged that “in the illegal market it is widespread,” especially among younger adults whose financial activity increasingly involves digital assets. A question that once seemed distant “maybe 12 months, 24 months away” is now firmly on the horizon.

He underscored the complexity of regulating crypto transactions due to traceability and anti-money laundering (AML) risks, explaining that such questions “are going to be governmental level questions… not… questions for individual gambling regulators,” though the pressure “is definitely not going to go away.”

To counter the illegal sector’s growth, the UKGC’s specialized team has reported nearly 200,000 URLs to search engines this year and continues to monitor over 1,000 unlicensed operators. “There is nothing more exploitative than the illegal market,” Rhodes stated, emphasizing partnerships with B2B suppliers to prevent unlicensed sites from accessing game content.

Consumer Fairness, Data Insight, and Financial Risk

Fairness in consumer experience remains a focal point of the Commission’s oversight. Rhodes said that of 44.2 million withdrawals made between June and September 2024, “96.3 per cent is cleared automatically,” while only “0.1 per cent took more than 48 hours.” The regulator is examining that small percentage to determine if delays arise from legitimate AML checks or unnecessary friction.

Similarly, data show that 4.31% of active accounts were restricted for commercial reasons within a year, often among profitable customers. Many faced stake limitations as low as 0.1% of maximum bets, which, Rhodes suggested, might push some toward unlicensed operators and create a “hybrid arrangement” of play across legal and illegal markets.

Through the Regular feed of Operator Core Data (ROCD), the UKGC is now gathering near-real-time behavioral data. Early insights reveal that players under 25 are least likely to set deposit limits yet most likely to hit financial risk triggers—an imbalance prompting operators to set limits on their behalf.

The UKGC’s pilot for financial risk assessments, using credit reference data, confirmed links between heavy spending and financial distress. Consumers spending the most were “between two and four times as likely to have a debt management plan” and “between two and five times more likely to have a debt default in the last 12 months.” Rhodes said these findings reinforce the need to focus on the areas “where risk concentrates,” without undermining consumer freedom.

Evidence Roadmaps and Cross-Border Cooperation

Complementing Rhodes’ speech, the UKGC has released new Evidence Roadmaps that define research priorities for the upcoming statutory levy. Developed with policymakers, researchers, and individuals with lived experience, these documents aim to align long-term studies with the Commission’s strategic goals.

Rhodes concluded his address by encouraging practical collaboration among regulators worldwide: “Find something this week, with another regulator that you can work on together… because you won’t regret it.” His closing message underscored a shared responsibility: ensuring gambling remains “safe and fair and crime free” through mutual insight, data sharing, and coordinated disruption of illegal channels.

Source:

IAGR 2025 Conference keynote – Andrew Rhodes speech, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, October 22, 2025.