Gambling duty changes announced in the Budget

Parry Jackson gives his initial thoughts on the changes in this quick read.

The Government has announced several changes to gambling duties, expected to raise £1.1 billion by 2029-30.

Key updates include:

  • Remote gaming duty will rise from 21% to 40% from April 2026.

  • Bingo duty will be scrapped from its current 10% rate in April 2026.

  • A new 25% general betting duty will apply to remote betting from April 2027 (excluding self-service terminals, spread betting, pool bets, and horseracing).

  • Casino gaming duty bands will be frozen in 2026-27, with RPI increases resuming afterwards.

Parry Jackson, Partner at Price Bailey and Head of our Gaming Sector, said:

“This remote gaming duty hike is so steep, it feels like the odds have suddenly shifted against the house. What was once a game of chance is now a near certainty of higher costs for operators and, ultimately, for players.”

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said the behavioural response to these changes is uncertain. However, it estimates that operators may pass on up to 90% of the duty increases through higher prices or lower payouts. This could lead to reduced consumer demand and lower revenues, reducing the total yield from these measures by around £0.5 billion by 2029-30. This is roughly one-third of the initial estimate.

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