UK bookmakers urge Chancellor to pause General Betting Duty rise and rule out Machine Games Duty increase

Some of the UK's largest bookmakers have written to Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey asking the Government to pause the planned rise in General Betting Duty (GBD). The letter was organised through the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the industry trade body, and forms part of a wider lobbying push against a rumoured increase in Machine Games Duty (MGD).

The GBD rate is due to climb from 15% to 25% on 1 April 2027. The signatories argue the increase should be delayed until the impact of tax rises already introduced has been fully assessed. That refers mainly to Remote Gaming Duty, which nearly doubled from 21% to 40% in April this year. The letter was signed by the leaders of Entain, Flutter UK & Ireland, bet365, Bally's Corporation, evoke and Betfred.

BGC Chief Executive Grainne Hurst said members had delivered a stark warning to the Chancellor, arguing that further tax rises would close more businesses, cost thousands more jobs and damage British sport, while potentially leaving the Treasury worse off. She called on the Chancellor to rule out further increases at this Budget, including on MGD, and to pause the GBD change. In her words, "You cannot tax businesses that have closed."

The BGC says more than 600 betting shops have closed and 10,000 jobs in the industry have been lost or are set to be lost since the tax increases were announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget by then Chancellor Rachel Reeves. A Betfred spokesperson told SBC News that betting shops across the country are under threat and that once they are gone they will not return, taking thousands of jobs with them.

The request is for a delay rather than a reversal. Operators contend they have had only around 12 months to judge the effect of the 40% remote gaming rate, and that period included the 2026 World Cup, an unusually strong event for bookmakers that happens only once every four years. They say this has made it difficult to assess the impact in a normal financial year.

The source notes that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has voiced displeasure at the presence of betting shops on the high street, which suggests a pause is unlikely.