Black market bookies took bets from accounts registered in names of top jockeys . . . and Constitution Hill, expose reveals

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Black market bookmakers took bets from accounts registered in the name of top jockeys, Constitution Hill and a six-year-old girl, an investigation into the mushrooming illegal betting sector has revealed.

The explosion in illegal betting is being fuelled by influencers and adverts on social media platforms, with the government warned of the growing dangers to racing and bettors if more people are driven to the black market by affordability checks.

Alex Wood, a government adviser and co-host of BBC Scam Secrets, found “widespread promotion” of black market betting sites on social media platforms such as Instagram, with deposits to these unlicensed operators possible using global payment platforms such as Mastercard, Visa and ApplePay.

High-profile influencers directed followers to black market sites offering no player protection, age or identity verification, and also pushed customers towards using cryptocurrencies to make deposits for additional layers of anonymity.

In the build-up to last month’s Cheltenham Festival, Wood signed up to multiple illegal sites via social media including under the names of Harry Skelton, Jack Kennedy and Willie Mullins, whose address he listed as ‘Cheltenham racecourse’, and bet in races against the runners representing the real-life professionals.

Wood was also able to sign up and bet with sites as Constitution Hill and Red Rum, giving his address as ‘horse heaven’ and occupation as ‘racehorse’. At another illegal bookmaker, he gave his age as six and his address as Buckingham Palace.

Wood added that since ending his investigation, which was commissioned by Flutter UK & Ireland, on Cheltenham Gold Cup day, he had been “inundated with marketing spam” from the black market operators via email and message.

Alex Wood: signed up and bet under the names Constitution Hill and Red RumCredit: BBC

As well as signing up to illegal sites via social media, Wood used Meta AI for tips on how to find companies who would not be impacted by the increase in betting taxes in the UK, which are likely to lead to reduced concessions and worse odds for punters.

Meta AI was also told by Wood that he was “inspired” by well-known influencers and that he was “not interested in responsible betting, just in winning millions”, with his conversation ending with “Meta AI wishing me luck in my quest”.

According to Meta, advertisers on its products are required to follow applicable laws with detection tools and reviewers removing violating content. In addition, the performance of Meta AI is amended in response to feedback from users, with this used to train its models.

In February last year, a report by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities on anti-illegal betting and related crime found that unlicensed sites taking bets on British racing had grown by 522 per cent between August 2021 and September 2024.

Last week BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea urged the government to drop the planned implementation of affordability checks on punters, which would require the handing over of sensitive financial documents to bookmakers to allow people to keep betting if they hit certain limits in specified timeframes, or risk severely damaging racing’s finances and driving more people to the black market.

Reacting to Wood’s investigation, Dunshea said: “Illegal betting operators openly targeting people via social media and influencers must come as a wake-up call to the government. These are firms that are preying on vulnerable people, that are robbing the Treasury of vital tax returns and plundering millions of pounds from British racing.

Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Grainne Hurst

Grainne Hurst: "Reports like this highlight exactly why the government must step up efforts to tackle the growing online black market"

“The affordability checks that the government and Gambling Commission are proposing to introduce will only further fuel the illegal market by driving frustrated bettors to it. It is not too late for the government to pause and reconsider the checks, save our bets and back British racing.”

The Betting and Gaming Council has predicted as many as 120,000 extra punters could be caught up in affordability checks if they are approved, and chief executive Grainne Hurst said the black market had a growing appeal to bettors if the regulated market stopped allowing them to bet.

She said: "Reports like this highlight exactly why the government must step up efforts to tackle the growing online black market. The new government Black Market Task Force must be used to force online platforms to clamp down on illegal operators who are putting consumers at risk.

"Around 22.5 million adults in Britain enjoy a bet each month, the overwhelming majority doing so safely with regulated operators, but the black market offers none of the protections or safeguards found in the regulated sector. These illegal sites don’t promote safer gambling and don’t contribute a penny to sport or to the Treasury.

"That’s why it’s vital the government works with industry and tech companies to drive out the black market and protect players.”

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