Doubts over £458m gambling tax plan emerge days before Budget
A week before the Budget, questions have emerged about the evidence behind a proposed £458m gambling tax rise, after internal comments revealed doubts among the campaigners that were pushing for the increase. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) told City AM that the comments, which appeared in a draft report by the Social Market Foundation [...]
A week before the Budget, doubts have surfaced regarding the evidence supporting a proposed £458m gambling tax increase, following internal comments that raised concerns among campaigners. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) voiced worries about the impact on jobs and high streets, stating that the Social Market Foundation (SMF) had failed to adequately assess these consequences.
The SMF is urging Chancellor John Healey to double the Machine Games Duty from 20 to 40 percent in next Wednesday’s Budget, arguing that it could raise up to £458m annually and help address gambling-related harm. However, the SMF's draft report includes internal comments questioning the assumptions behind some of its claims, specifically whether job losses would be compensated by employment elsewhere.
The BGC has reinforced its warnings about potential economic consequences, with independent modelling predicting that doubling the duty could put nearly 1,500 betting shops and 34 casinos at risk, costing up to 16,000 jobs and leaving the Treasury £124m worse off.
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