Entain: illegal gambling network threatens World Cup
- More than 30 unregulated gambling sites are promoted to UK audiences across seven major digital platforms, Entain research finds.
- Researchers identified 72 instances of promotion involving 44 influencers, tipsters and clipper accounts collected in May 2026.
- Streaming platform Kick is identified as a central hub, redistributing gambling content to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
New research commissioned by Entain has uncovered a coordinated network of illegal gambling promotion spanning seven major digital platforms, reaching young men across the UK.
The findings, based on open source intelligence collected in May 2026, log 72 instances of UK-facing promotion linked to more than 30 unregulated operators. Entain warns the activity is set to intensify sharply with the 2026 FIFA World Cup already underway.
Scale of activity
The research, commissioned by Entain and conducted by independent OSINT researchers, examined activity across 7 major digital platforms: Kick, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Twitch. It logged promotional activity from more than 30 unregulated operators, including Stake, Rainbet and Duelbits, none of which hold a UK Gambling Commission licence.
Researchers estimate around 20% of TikTok’s UK audience is under 18, a figure that underscores concerns about exposure among younger users. The dataset spans 44 logged influencer, clipper and tipster accounts collected in May 2026.
The report concludes that unregulated gambling promotion is no longer something consumers actively seek out. Researchers describe an always-on presence embedded within everyday social media content, with several operators already producing World Cup-themed material before the tournament began.
Celebrities and bypass tactics
Former footballers Sergio Agüero, Eden Hazard and Iker Casillas were identified as ambassadors for offshore gambling brands. Their involvement gives unregulated operators access to combined audiences running into tens of millions.
The report also flags a network of AI-generated YouTube personas instructing UK users on how to bypass gambling restrictions. Researchers found accompanying services offering VPN-based access and identity verification workarounds for banned sites.
Influencers including HSTikkyTokky, Ed Matthews and Adin Ross feature prominently in the dataset, with audiences concentrated among men aged 14 to 25. Gambling promotion is routinely combined with displays of wealth, gym culture and risk-taking content.
Coordinated tipster networks
At least 12 football fan and tipster accounts covering Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United were found posting identical betting tips at the same time. Researchers concluded this pointed to a coordinated affiliate campaign, with most accounts disclosing no commercial relationship.
Kick was named as a central hub for the ecosystem, hosting a dedicated gambling category with minimal age verification. Content from the platform is redistributed across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube using referral codes, affiliate links and gamified incentives.
Age verification and consumer safeguards were found to be weak, inconsistent or easily circumvented across the platforms examined. At least one operator required no verification whatsoever to open an account.
Bejay Patel, MD UK and Ireland at Entain, said:
“As the Men’s World Cup is underway, this research is a wake-up call to government, regulators and law enforcement agencies that illegal gambling promotion is not operating at the fringes but is now operating at scale in the UK with coordinated networks primed to target millions of UK fans during the tournament.”
“It also raises serious questions about whether regulators and enforcement agencies have the powers and resources needed to tackle the highly coordinated illegal gambling promotion effectively, particularly across global social media platforms.”
The findings add to a string of recent interventions by Entain against the UK black market, including its UKIPO trademark push. Regulators have also stepped up their own response: the Advertising Standards Authority recently broadened its AI-led ad monitoring of gambling content with strong appeal to under-18s.
Separate research commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council estimated that 1.5 million Britons wagered £4.3 billion with unlicensed operators last year. That gave illegal sites a 9% share of the UK market, up from 2% four years earlier.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs until 19 July. With promotional infrastructure already active before kickoff, the report’s authors warn that engagement and exposure are likely to climb sharply as the tournament progresses.
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