The Chancellor has revealed a steep increase in online gambling tax connected with the "highest levels of damage" throughout the sector.
Rachel Reeves said she was reforming gaming taxes in reaction to the rise in online gambling, revealing an increase in remote gaming duty from 21% to 40% and on online betting from 15% to 25%.
There are no modifications for in-person gaming or horse racing, while bingo responsibility is being abolished completely from April next year.
Some parts of the gambling industry, such as racecourses and bingo halls, make a cultural contribution to our nation. This is not the case, though, for online slots and other remote gaming
Dame Meg Hillier, Treasury Select Committee
The Chancellor said: "Remote video gaming is associated with the highest levels of damage therefore I am increasing remote video gaming task from 21% to 40%, with responsibility on online betting increasing from 15% to 25%.
"I am making no modification to the taxes on in-person gambling or horse racing and I am abolishing bingo task totally from April 2026. Taken together, my reforms to betting tax will raise over ₤ 1 billion each year by 2031."
The reforms are expected to raise an estimated ₤ 1.1 billion for the Government by 2029-30.
Betting and Gaming Council president Grainne Hurst said: "Massive tax boosts for online wagering and video gaming revealed in the Budget make them among the greatest on the planet, and are a disastrous hammer blow to 10s of thousands of individuals operating in the industry across the UK, and countless customers who delight in a bet.
"Regulated wagering and gaming is one of the UK's few worldwide effective sectors, producing ₤ 6.8 billion for the economy, contributing over ₤ 4 billion in tax and supporting 109,000 jobs, while providing essential financing for British sport.
"While we invite the decision not to raise land-based responsibilities and to scrap bingo responsibility, these extreme online tax boosts will undermine jobs, financial investment and growth throughout the UK.
"The Government's Budget is a massive win for the exceptionally harmful, unsafe, uncontrolled gambling black market, which pays no tax and offers none of the securities that exist in the managed sector.
"These are bad for tasks, bad for customers, bad for sports and bad for more secure gaming."
Treasury Select Committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier said: "The gambling sector's scaremongering has failed.
"The Chancellor has made the best decision in concurring with my committee that the tax rate for remote betting, including highly addictive casino games, should show the harm it inflicts.
"Some parts of the gambling industry, such as racecourses and bingo halls, make a cultural contribution to our country.
"This is not the case, however, for online slots and other remote gaming which can quickly drain the bank balances of susceptible individuals after just a couple of clicks of a button on a phone."
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Steep Increases for Online Gambling Tax to Address 'Highest Levels
dorothymerrill edited this page 2026-04-11 05:14:29 +08:00