BGC slams Gordon Brown-backed UK gambling tax hike

Summary

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has condemned proposed UK gambling tax rises — including plans backed by former prime minister Gordon Brown — warning they pose a “direct threat” to jobs and the wider economy. The BGC commissioned Ernst & Young (EY) to assess proposals from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Social Market Foundation (SMF). EY’s analysis warns the IPPR plan (which includes big rises for slots and general betting duty) could put more than 40,000 jobs at risk, divert billions in wagers to illegal operators and cut the sector’s economic contribution by around £3.1bn. EY’s assessment of the SMF proposals shows similar harms, estimating about 30,200 jobs at risk and a £2.5bn hit. The BGC says these tax increases would shrink the regulated sector, boost the black market and reduce support for sport and communities.

Key Points

IPPR proposals include raising slots duty to 50% (from ~20–21%) and general betting duty to 25% (from 15%).
EY analysis, commissioned by the BGC, estimates IPPR-led hikes could threaten 40,000+ jobs and cost the economy about £3.1bn.
SMF’s proposals differ slightly (e.g. treating off-course horse betting differently) but still risk c.30,200 jobs and a £2.5bn economic hit per EY.
EY disputes IPPR’s revenue projection of £3.2bn, forecasting nearer to £1bn short-term, and under £500m after accounting for job losses and tax knock-on effects.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst warns tax increases will boost the unregulated black market, reducing consumer protections and state receipts.
Major operators (Rank Group, Entain, evoke, Betfred) have publicly opposed tax hikes, citing harm to land-based venues and investment.

Why should I read this?

Short version: if you care about jobs, regulated gambling or sports funding in the UK, this matters. Big tax hikes could shrink the legal market, push punters to unsafe alternatives and hit employment hard. We’ve boiled down the EY numbers and the stakes — saves you the time of sifting through the full reports unless you want the boring spreadsheets.

Source

Source: https://igamingexpert.com/regions/europe/bgc-uk-gambling-tax-gordon-brown/