Britain’s betting sector has launched a campaign to highlight the possible impact of further gambling tax increases ahead of the Autumn Budget on October 28.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) introduced Back Our Betting Shops as speculation grows that Chancellor John Healey may raise Machine Games Duty. The campaign will feature employees, customers and community partners, with much of the material running across the BGC’s digital channels.
The industry is trying to shift attention toward the people and local businesses connected to betting shops as the government weighs another tax change for gambling.
As reported by SBC News, BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst said: “Behind every betting shop is a team of real people earning a living, supporting their families and playing a part in their local community.
“These shops are not just businesses. For many people they are community hubs, familiar places on the high street where people work, meet and socialise, often with staff who have known their customers for years.
“They also help support British sport, from horseracing to rugby league, including clubs and competitions that are themselves at the heart of communities across the country.”
Industry Warns of More Closures
EY modelling commissioned for the sector estimates that increasing Machine Games Duty to 40% could put up to 16,000 jobs and almost 1,500 betting shops at risk. The same analysis suggests as many as 34 casinos could also be affected and that the Treasury could end up £124 million worse off.
The warning comes after a prolonged decline in the retail estate. Since 2019, more than 3,000 betting shops have closed, resulting in over 16,000 job losses. During the same period, 22 casinos and 108 bingo clubs also shut, costing thousands more jobs.
Several operators have announced further closures this year. Betfred plans to shut 132 shops, Evoke has outlined 230 closures, and Paddy Power is expected to close up to 100 locations across the UK and Ireland. William Hill has already closed 270 shops in two phases.
Betfred owner Fred Done has warned that a sharp increase in Machine Games Duty could lead to the disappearance of high-street betting shops by 2030. He said the immediate effect on Betfred could include 495 closures.
Despite the contraction, betting shops still support more than 36,000 jobs across Britain. The wider regulated betting and gaming sector supports 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8 billion in gross value added and generates more than £4 billion in annual tax revenue.
Tax Models Point in Different Directions
The debate also rests on conflicting estimates of how much a higher Machine Games Duty rate could raise.
The Social Market Foundation has argued that doubling the rate from 20% to 40% could increase revenue from Category B £2-a-spin machines by between £275 million and £458 million.
The EY model reaches a different conclusion because it assumes a large number of betting shops would close after the increase. Those closures would reduce receipts from corporation tax, business rates, employer National Insurance and other payments.
Machine gaming accounts for around half of betting shop revenue, making the proposed duty increase particularly significant for retail operators. Entain chief executive Stella David has said the higher rate would add around £100 million a year to the company’s UK retail costs.
The government has already raised gambling taxes elsewhere. Remote Gaming Duty increased from 21% to 40% in April 2026, while Remote Betting Duty is due to rise from 15% to 25% in April 2027.
Horseracing is also part of the dispute. Betting shops contribute through the statutory Horserace Betting Levy and media rights payments. Industry analysis has suggested that almost 3,000 shop closures could reduce levy receipts by around £70 million.
Supporters of higher machine taxes point to the public health debate around machine gambling. The 2019 reduction in Fixed Odds Betting Terminal stakes followed concerns about gambling-related harm, and some campaigners view higher taxation as another way to reduce machine use.
Campaign Puts Staff at the Centre
Back Our Betting Shops will use stories from shops across Britain to focus on employees and the local communities connected to them.
Hurst said: “We have already seen thousands of shops close and thousands of jobs disappear. Further tax increases would not just show up on a balance sheet. They could mean more people losing their livelihoods, more empty shopfronts and more communities losing businesses they value.
“That is why we are asking Britain to Back Our Betting Shops. This campaign is about telling the stories behind the statistics and making sure the voices of the people whose jobs and communities are at stake are heard.”
Political pressure around the issue has increased in recent weeks. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a rise in Machine Games Duty, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham has compared betting shops with “rogue” outlets operating on British high streets.
The government is due to set out its position when it presents the Autumn Budget on October 28.