TLDR
- Remote gaming duty in the UK will jump from 21% to 40% starting April 2026, with general betting duty rising from 15% to 25% in April 2027.
- The UK gambling industry generated roughly £16.8 billion in gross gambling income for 2024–2025.
- The Treasury has allocated an extra £26 million over three years to the Gambling Commission to fight illegal gambling operations.
- 48% of UK adults reported gambling in the past four weeks, with 2.7% scoring at levels linked to problem gambling.
- New gaming machine compliance rules take effect July 29, 2026, requiring operators to remove non-certified equipment.
The UK gambling industry is facing a wave of tax increases and regulatory changes following last year’s budget reforms. Gambling Commission Director of Policy Ian Angus laid out the details at the Institute of Licensing Gambling Conference in a speech covering taxation, enforcement, and licensing.
The most immediate change hits remote gaming operators. Remote gaming duty will nearly double, rising from 21% to 40% starting in April 2026. That increase is already in effect or about to take hold.
General betting duty is also going up. It will jump from 15% to 25%, though that change does not kick in until April 2027. Bingo duty, meanwhile, will be eliminated entirely starting April 2026.
Tax Pressure on High Street Operators
Angus said operators are already feeling the effects of these tax measures. Decisions about staffing, locations, and investment are being shaped by the new rates before they even fully take effect.
The industry brought in roughly £16.8 billion in gross gambling income during the 2024–2025 period. That figure was largely in line with the previous year’s estimate.
Several major operators have already announced plans to close gambling establishments. The Gambling Commission expects more closures to follow as the financial pressure builds.
The Commission has said it wants to avoid placing unnecessary burdens on licensed companies. At the same time, it is watching for illegal operators that might try to fill the gaps left by closures.
Crackdown on Illegal Gambling Operations
The Treasury has given the Gambling Commission an extra £26 million over the next three years to fight unlicensed gambling. That funding will go toward expanding enforcement, including efforts against illegal land-based gaming.
Angus said the regulator plans to increase the scope of its work against the black market. The goal is to prevent unlicensed operators from gaining ground in Great Britain as licensed firms pull back.
On the participation side, the Commission’s annual survey polled nearly 20,000 people. It found that 48% of UK adults had gambled in the previous four weeks.
Online gambling accounted for 38% of participants, while 29% gambled in person. Lottery products made up a large share of that gap.
When lottery draws were removed from the data, 16% had gambled online and 18% had done so in person. The National Lottery drew 31% participation, scratchcards 13%, and other charity lotteries 16%.
The survey also tracks problem gambling using the Problem Gambling Severity Index. About 2.7% of respondents scored at a level associated with potential loss of control. That rate has stayed consistent year over year.
New rules on gaming machines are also coming. Starting July 29, 2026, operators must remove any equipment the regulator finds to be non-compliant or uncertified.
The Commission said it will publish a full consultation response later this summer. It also plans to release updated licensing guidelines to reflect changes from the ongoing Gambling Act review.
