'The black market sees vulnerability as commercially lucrative'

Individuals who formerly worked as controversial VIP managers for regulated bookmakers are being approached by black market operators, who see their customer lists, including problem gamblers who have subsequently quit betting, as "commercially lucrative".

Stricter affordability checks being carried out by legitimate operators in the UK following pressure from the Gambling Commission are also driving high-staking punters to the black market, according to two individuals who used to work as VIP managers for licensed operators.

Both individuals wanted to remain anonymous, but in an affidavit seen by the Racing Post, one of them said that they had received seven concrete offers and four additional approaches from either smaller or black market operators offering to pay somewhere between 15 per cent and 30 per cent of the net losses from any individuals that they sign up.