EL Targets Illegal Online Gambling With White Bullet Pilot
European Lotteries made illegal online gambling a core enforcement priority on 13 May 2026 with the announcement of a new Task Force on Illegal Gambling and a pilot project with White Bullet. The project will cover online detection, operator identification and content removal across France, Greece and Poland.
EL presented the work at a webinar led by Secretary General Piet Van Baeveghem. He said illegal operators threaten consumer protection, fair competition and trust in regulated lottery systems. He also warned that sustained regulatory pressure on licensed operators can unintentionally create more space for illegal supply, which reinforces the need for coordinated action.
The task force includes experts from Belgium, Finland, France, Greece and Poland. Its work has two goals: share practical enforcement methods between EL members and support the White Bullet pilot.
White Bullet, a UK risk intelligence and digital compliance firm, will help EL track illegal gambling content across websites, search engines and social media. The pilot will also involve direct contact with digital intermediaries to support faster content removal. Peter Szyszko, CEO of White Bullet, and Filip Petru, Director of Product Innovation and Head of Online Gambling Compliance, presented the initiative at the webinar.
Members also shared national enforcement lessons. Allwyn Greece highlighted automated detection combined with human review as a way to improve evidence quality for regulators. Veikkaus Oy pointed to trademark protection as a tool against illegal ads, and noted the limits of enforcement tools provided by online intermediaries, which require constant oversight to remain effective. Totalizator Sportowy warned that illegal networks now use affiliates, fragmented payments and fast domain changes to avoid controls, and that payment disruption, intelligence exchange and institutional cooperation are now essential alongside website blocks.
EL Legal Adviser Philippe Vlaemminck said gambling law remains a national matter in the EU, with legality judged by the player’s location. He also noted that the Digital Services Act adds weight to the responsibility of digital intermediaries that help distribute illegal gambling content.
EL will present interim pilot results at the EL Industry Days in Marrakesh in June. Final results are due in autumn 2026.
TGJ Take
EL’s pilot matters because it moves the illegal gambling debate from policy language to operational proof. Website blocks alone no longer match how offshore operators work, especially when affiliates, payments and domain changes sit behind the offer. For regulated lotteries and operators, the real test is whether White Bullet can produce evidence that regulators and digital intermediaries act on fast. Affiliates should also watch this closely, as illegal traffic channels may face more pressure in Europe.
