UK Government Praised for Listening to Gambling Industry Concerns

_{Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the first Labour budget in 15 years. (Image: Tejas Sandhu)}

A huge sigh of relief will be resounding around the walls of the gambling industry businesses, including casino destinations, gaming centers, and bingo halls, as the UK government reins in the calls for huge tax increases, which were anticipated to come into being following the latest budget.  

Government Warned of Impact Tax Hikes Would Have on Industry 

Instead of the huge tax rise, the UK Government took notice of the consultations with the gambling industry.

The Betting and Gaming Council praised the Government for ‘getting the balance right’ with CEO Grainne Hurst emphasising the damage the tax rises would have caused. 

The CEO warned of risks to jobs, preventing growth, impacting customers, and ultimately driving gamblers towards the black market, an area that escapes the tight regulations and tax demands.  

Chancellor Praised for Sensible Decision  

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was tasked with the first Labour budget in 15 years, and she cautiously manoeuvred her way around any tax increases, prompting industry leaders like Stephen Hodgson, Deputy Group Tax Director at Entain, to say it was a 'sensible decision.’ Hodgson also supported the decision to hold future consultations on the reform of gambling taxes. 

Hurst added: “BGC members contribute £6.8 billion to the economy and generate £4 billion in tax while supporting 109,000 jobs. The regulated betting and gaming industry also provides some of the country’s most popular sports with vital funding.  

“According to a report by EY commissioned by the BGC, horseracing benefits to the tune of £350m annually, the English Football League and its clubs receive £40m, and snooker, darts, and rugby leagues receive more than £12.5m. 

“BGC members are working with the Government and the Gambling Commission to deliver the proposals contained in the White Paper, many of which we called for to raise standards.”  

Future Consultations on the Table 

Commentators on LinkedIn warned of the calm before the storm. 

Partner at Keystone Law and Gaming, Licensing and Regulatory Lawyer, Richard Williams, warns, “In light of these proposals, it appears that remote gambling duty will be merged into a single tax in due course and at a single rate. 

“On the basis that the 21% rate of remote gaming duty is unlikely to be reduced, the most likely outcome is that remote betting/pool betting duty will also be increased to 21% of GGY in the not-too-distant future. 2025 is likely to be negative for the remote gambling industry, but for now, the feared duty increases have not materialised.”