On Monday, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) announced a campaign titled "Back Our Betting Shops," aimed at raising awareness about the potential fallout of tax increases and the closure of betting shops on employees, communities, and high streets throughout Britain.
This campaign emphasizes the importance of betting shops as local community hubs rather than just businesses. It features profiles of individuals from the industry, including long-serving employees, apprentices, managers, and customers, as well as community collaborators.
A central message communicated by the BGC is the risk of “very real human consequences” stemming from increased taxes, which could adversely affect workers, their families, local businesses, and the broader community.
Grainne Hurst, the chief executive of the BGC, highlighted Makerfield as the constituency of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, describing it as emblematic of the impact betting shops have on local communities. Hurst stated, “Makerfield tells a very human story about what betting shops mean to communities across Britain. The prime minister has said policies should face a ‘Makerfield test’ that if they don’t work for people here and don’t lift them up, they shouldn’t happen at all.” She stressed that behind every betting shop are real people earning a living, supporting their families, and engaging in their communities.
According to an Opinium poll cited by the BGC, 54% of Makerfield residents believe that betting shops contribute positively to local community life. This opinion spans different political affiliations, with 51% of Labour voters and 59% of Reform voters agreeing.
A significant part of the campaign focuses on opposing a proposed increase in Machine Games Duty (MGD) to 40%. The BGC referred to analysis from professional services firm EY, indicating that such a tax hike could jeopardize approximately 16,000 jobs, force nearly 1,500 betting shops to close, and impact around 34 casinos. Intriguingly, the measure could also result in a loss of £124 million for the treasury.
Hurst warned, “Further tax rises risk inflicting exactly the kind of damage communities like Makerfield are worried about and raise serious questions about whether such a policy would pass the prime minister’s own Makerfield test.”
Stella David, CEO of Entain, echoed these concerns, stating that doubling the MGD rate to 40% could lead to widespread betting shop closures and significant job losses, while also diminishing tax revenues for the government. Fred Done, founder of Betfred, stated that such a tax increase would force the closure of 495 of its shops within a year, resulting in the loss of 2,575 jobs and about £67 million in tax revenue for the Exchequer. This comes on the heels of Betfred already closing 132 outlets this year after the previous increase in Remote Gaming Duty (RGD).
In addition, last month, the government announced plans to repeal the established "aim to permit" rule for betting shops and 24-hour slot machine arcades across Great Britain, removing the presumption in favor of allowing these venues.
