Taxing Gamble: UK Faces Warning

 As Britain gears up for its autumn Budget, the stakes are not just political they’realso  economic and cultural. Data from Yield Sec indicates that in 2024, an estimated £69.7 billion of betting and casino activity in the EU shifted into the black market, which is the equivalent to over 70% of the sector’s sales in the region.

Though the UK share is lower, politically sensitive proposals from Treasury hold serious consequences. The Government is considering tax rises for bookmakers and raising levies from 15% to 21% to align with online casino rates which is a move that critics fear could drive players toward unregulated and risky behaviour .

Industry Reacts: Blackout On Trust?

Industry leaders have delivered a unified warning: higher taxes may not raise more revenue but will fuel the illicit market.

Gráinne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, cautioned that:
“Tax rises on the UK’s regulated sector will only fuel the growth of the unsafe black market” 

Stella David, CEO of Entain, painted a clear picture:
“If you raise taxes, the tax take often goes down—not up—because consumers migrate to the black market,” citing the Netherlands as a cautionary case.

A CFO for Evoke emphasized the downstream impact of policy overreach: worsened player experience, weaker sponsorship revenue, job losses, and ultimately, fewer contributions to Treasury coffers from a weakened regulated sector.
A Strategic Misfire?

On the other side of the debate, campaigns led by voices like former PM Gordon Brown and think tanks such as the IPPR argue that gambling taxes could raise billions, potentially funding welfare reforms like lifting the two-child benefit cap.

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27 August 2025

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