BGC Takes Betting Shop Tax Fight to the High Street with New Campaign

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has launched Back Our Betting Shops, a campaign designed to put the people, jobs and communities behind Britain's high street bookmakers at the centre of the tax debate.

Rather than leading with operator balance sheets, the campaign will feature long-serving employees, apprentices, managers, customers, and community partners, while making the case that betting shops still function as community hubs on high streets across Britain. It will also warn of the human consequences further tax increases could have for workers, families, local businesses and communities.

The timing is no accident. The Autumn Budget is due to be announced on Wednesday, 28 October, and Chancellor John Healey is reportedly considering targeting the industry.

What is at stake?

At the heart of the campaign is EY modelling commissioned for the sector. 

It suggests that increasing Machine Games Duty (MGD) to 40 per cent could put up to 16,000 jobs, nearly 1,500 betting shops and as many as 34 casinos at risk, while leaving the Treasury £124 million worse off.

The BGC's message is that behind every one of those numbers is a person whose job, income and future could be affected.

The warning lands after years of contraction. Since 2019, more than 3,000 betting shops have closed, costing over 16,000 jobs. Over the same period, 22 casinos have shut their doors with the loss of more than 3,000 jobs, while 108 bingo clubs have closed with more than 2,000 jobs lost.

The closures have not stopped. Evoke and Betfred earlier this year announced plans to shut 230 and 132 shops respectively, while Flutter recently said it's looking to close up to 100 Paddy Power shops across the UK and Ireland.

Despite those pressures, betting shops still support more than 36,000 jobs across Britain. The wider regulated betting and gaming sector supports 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8 billion in gross value added and generates more than £4 billion a year in tax revenue for the Exchequer.

More than a shopfront

The BGC is leaning heavily on the high street argument: shops as places where people work, meet and socialise, bringing customers into town centres and driving footfall to neighbouring businesses.

It is also making the sporting case. Betting shops support horseracing through the statutory Horserace Betting Levy, alongside wider sponsorship and investment in professional and grassroots sport, including rugby league clubs and competitions rooted in communities across Britain. Racing has particular reason to worry: analysts have told the Racing Post that the proposal could result in almost 3,000 betting shop closures while reducing horse racing levy receipts by around £70m.

The campaign will gather stories from shops across Britain, giving a voice to staff, customers and the communities that value them.

BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said: “Behind every betting shop is a team of real people earning a living, supporting their families and playing a part in their local community.” 

“These shops are not just businesses. For many people they are community hubs, familiar places on the high street where people work, meet and socialise, often with staff who have known their customers for years.” 

“They also help support British sport, from horseracing to rugby league, including clubs and competitions that are themselves at the heart of communities across the country.” 

“We have already seen thousands of shops close, and thousands of jobs disappear. Further tax increases would not just show up on a balance sheet. They could mean more people losing their livelihoods, more empty shopfronts and more communities losing businesses they value.”