BGC warns tax rise could cost up to 16,000 betting shop jobs

EY modelling also points to nearly 1,500 shop closures & up to 34 casinos at risk, the BGC says.

The hit

The Betting & Gaming Council has launched a campaign warning that a proposed rise in Machine Games Duty to 40% could cost up to 16,000 jobs. The lobby group cites EY modelling showing the increase would also leave the Treasury about £124m worse off.

Why it matters

The BGC’s push is aimed at pressuring the government ahead of any tax decision, framing closures as a test of the prime minister’s own policy standard. Makerfield, the prime minister’s own constituency, is central to the campaign, with BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst saying tax rises risk “inflicting exactly the kind of damage communities like Makerfield are worried about.”

The record

Jobs at risk	up to 16,000 (EY modelling cited by the BGC)
Shops at risk	nearly 1,500 (EY modelling cited by the BGC)
Casinos at risk	up to 34 (EY modelling cited by the BGC)
Treasury shortfall	about £124m worse off (EY modelling cited by the BGC)
Betfred’s threatened closures	495 shops & 2,575 jobs within a year (Fred Done)
Betfred’s lost tax revenue	roughly £67m foregone (Fred Done)

What happens next

Watch for the government’s decision on Machine Games Duty & any response to the BGC’s Opinium poll, which found 54% of Makerfield residents say betting shops contribute to local community life.

Sources: BGC highlights human cost of potential betting shop closures with new campaign – iGB

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