UK gambling duty proposals draw parliamentary support and industry objections

UK gambling taxation drew competing interventions during the week. Eighty-nine Labour MPs backed a letter urging Chancellor John Healey to consider higher machine gaming duty. Betting & Gaming Council members asked him to reject a proposed increase on Category B machines from 20% to 40%, which the Treasury is considering for the autumn budget. ¹²

Casino operators identified around £200m in investment plans over five years, covering hospitality, entertainment spaces and customer experience improvements. At an industry event, Genting UK and Rank Group executives discussed investment risks associated with uncertainty over a possible doubling of the duty. ³⁴

Separately, IG Group applied to the UK Gambling Commission for a sports betting licence following its acquisition of Underdog earlier this year. LOW6 bought UK skill gaming business Splash Games, withholding financial terms. ⁵⁶

Entries cited

1. Labour MPs back letter urging Chancellor to consider higher gaming duty 2026-10-16
2. UK betting group members urge chancellor to reconsider proposed MGD rise 2026-10-15
3. UK casinos identify £200m investment plans over five years 2026-10-15
4. Casino executives warn UK investment may slow amid Machine Games Duty uncertainty 2026-10-15
5. IG Group seeks UK sports betting licence 2026-10-14
6. LOW6 buys Splash Games to expand B2B skill gaming offering 2026-10-12

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