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UK GC Chief Executive warns at the BGC AGM 2026 that illegal gambling operators tied to organised crime are exploiting digital platforms and crypto payments to evade regulation, raising FC risks

February 26, 2026

He highlighted how unlicensed platforms exploit digital channels, affiliates, and social media to reach UK consumers, while using payment methods such as cryptoassets to evade regulatory oversight and anti-money laundering controls. Miller emphasised that tackling this illicit ecosystem requires collaboration not only with the gambling industry but also with technology companies, financial institutions, and government bodies through initiatives such as the Illegal Gambling Taskforce. At the same time, he argued that maintaining a competitive…

UK Home Office’s 2024‑25 UWO report shows 5 high-impact orders granted, including the SFO’s first – recovering nearly £24M in illicit assets and reinforcing UWOs as powerful tools against complex FC

February 25, 2026

The report states that two UWO applications were made to the High Court between May 2023 and May 2024, with one order granted during the period and another awaiting judicial decision, while an additional order from the previous reporting year was also approved. It emphasises that UWOs are designed for complex, high-value cases involving politically exposed persons or individuals linked to serious crime, and notes that authorities often rely on other asset-recovery tools, with £62.9 million recovered through civil recovery orders in 2023–2024…

RUSI’s paper on Privacy-Enhancing Technologies in Crypto explores how tools like zero-knowledge proofs and confidential stablecoins protect users while helping regulators in combating FC

February 25, 2026

The paper stresses that collaboration between regulators, law enforcement, and developers is essential to design effective PETs and improve oversight, and it flags that current legal processes, like Mutual Legal Assistance, are too slow for crypto’s rapid transactions. Overall, it offers actionable guidance for policymakers, law enforcement, and industry to navigate privacy, innovation, and compliance in crypto…

NCA intelligence sharing leads to the arrest of 7 men in Nigeria running an online investment scam that used hundreds of fake Facebook a/cs to impersonate cryptocurrency traders and target UK & US victims

February 20, 2026

Working with Meta and the Nigerian Police, authorities dismantled a scam operation that used hundreds of fake Facebook accounts to impersonate cryptocurrency traders, post false reviews, and convince victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the network. The arrests mark a significant step in disrupting overseas fraud networks preying on UK citizens, and anyone who believes they may have been a victim is encouraged to report it to local authorities…

UK Police Foundation Report on ‘Health Impact’ reveals that fraud inflicts hidden physical, emotional, and mental harms far beyond financial loss, urging systemic reforms and recognition of fraud as a public health issue, not just a FC

February 17, 2026

Victims often experience stress, anxiety, sleep problems, social withdrawal, and, in severe cases, thoughts of self-harm, with trust-based scams like romance fraud causing the deepest trauma. Support systems are fragmented, inconsistent, and rarely equipped to address these harms, leaving many victims without the help they need. The report calls for fraud to be recognised as a public health issue, urging systemic reforms including trauma-informed, victim-centred services,..

NCA and UK Policing leads warn child sexual abuse is increasing in severity, complexity, and accessibility, driven by online platforms, generative AI, and end-to-end encryption making detection harder

February 17, 2026

Offenders are using online communities to share and normalise abusive material, while livestreamed abuse and financially motivated sexual extortion are rising, particularly against boys. Despite NCA’s Child Sexual Exploitation Referrals Bureau receiving around 1,700 reports per week and police making about 1,000 potential offender arrests monthly, the scale of abuse remains high, highlighting the ongoing challenges of safeguarding children in the digital age…

NCA’s Cyber Prevent Reoffending report shows that early intervention can cut cybercrime and financial offending by redirecting young offenders’ technical skills toward lawful, constructive opportunities

February 16, 2026

The Cyber Prevent Reoffending report analyses outcomes of the NCA’s intervention aimed at diverting young people from cybercrime, showing an average relative reduction in proven reoffending for participants compared with similar offenders outside the programme. The findings support the value of prevention and diversion strategies — alongside enforcement — in tackling cyber offending and reducing future harm…

UK House of Lords urges the need for comprehensive AI legislation, warning that fragmented rules leave society exposed, calling for enforceable laws to ensure safety, fairness, and accountability

February 10, 2026

This means accountability, transparency, and safety protections are weak or inconsistent across sectors. The document calls for a new AI Regulation Bill that sets binding rules, creates independent oversight, and embeds principles like fairness, auditability, and public redress into law — to ensure AI benefits society while protecting people from harm…

Gambling Commission reports that overall gambling activity remains high, with increased online engagement and record numbers of bets and spins despite a slight decline in revenue

February 9, 2026

The latest operator data show mixed trends, with total online gross gambling yield slightly down year-on-year, driven by a notable drop in real-event betting, while overall activity such as bets and spins continues to rise to record levels. The data also indicate a small decline in active accounts, highlighting shifting consumer behaviour within a still highly active gambling market across both online and retail sectors.

Home Office is set to release the 2025 drug seizure statistics for England & Wales on 12 Feb 2026, following a year of record-breaking interceptions by police and Border Force

February 5, 2026

Official statistics show that law-enforcement agencies in England and Wales intercepted unprecedented quantities of cocaine, heroin, MDMA and other controlled substances in the year ending March 2025, reflecting intensified operational activity and border disruptions of drug supply chains. The data also highlight substantial seizures of precursor chemicals, indicating efforts to disrupt both importation and domestic production, and point to evolving drug markets that continue to pose serious public-health and criminal justice challenges…

UK Govt partners with Microsoft and other tech experts to implement a world-first Deepfake detection evaluation framework, to assess detection tools and address the surge in AI-generated content

February 5, 2026

The initiative aims to set consistent standards for assessing detection tools and address the surge in AI-generated content, which rose from around 500,000 in 2023 to 8 million in 2025. The government is also strengthening legislation under the Online Safety Act, criminalising the creation or request of non-consensual intimate deepfakes and targeting “nudification” tools, alongside real-world testing to identify gaps in current detection capabilities…

JMLSG publishes final revisions to Part I of its AML/CFT Guidance, updating sections on data protection, MLRO responsibilities, and monitoring ML controls, with revisions submitted to HMT for approval

February 4, 2026

Revisions 6 to the JMLSG guidance refine and expand the UK’s industry-standard anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing framework by clarifying requirements on risk assessment, customer due diligence, ongoing monitoring and enhanced scrutiny of higher-risk relationships. The updates also incorporate recent regulatory developments and typologies, offering tailored guidance for sectors such as legal professionals, trust and company service providers, and non-profit organisations to improve consistency and effectiveness in detecting and mitigating financial crime risks…

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