New BGC Campaign Aims to Save Betting Shops.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has launched its Back Our Betting Shops campaign, warning that proposed increases to Machine Games Duty (MGD) could put jobs and high-street betting shops at risk.
Campaign Highlights Shops’ Role in Local Communities
The campaign comes ahead of the government’s Autumn Budget later this month. It follows warnings from operators Entain and Betfred that higher MGD could lead to further shop closures. MGD is charged on revenue from gaming machines. The BGC, the UK’s largest betting-industry trade body, says betting shops support local employment and contribute to communities and British sport.
BGC Chief Executive 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.”
Proposed Tax Changes Could Double MGD Rates
Government plans reportedly include doubling all three MGD rates. The lower rate would rise from 5% to 10%, the standard rate from 20% to 40%, and the higher rate from 25% to 50%. Supporters of gambling reform including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Social Market Foundation have called for higher taxes on online gaming and other gambling-related tax increases.
Operators Point to Existing Retail Cuts
Betfred founder Fred Done told the Financial Times that betting shops could disappear from British high streets by 2030. The company currently operates more than 1,300 shops nationwide. Entain chief executive Stella David has also warned about the potential effects of higher taxes, writing to Andy Burnham. Betfred and Entain have both closed shops this year. William Hill owner evoke and Flutter Entertainment-owned Paddy Power have also reduced their retail estates.
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BGC Renews Opposition to Gambling Tax Rises
The new campaign follows the BGC’s opposition to increases in Remote Gaming Duty and General Betting Duty in 2025. The British Horseracing Authority ran its #AxeTheRacingTax campaign, while The Sun supported its Save Our Bets campaign.
Debate over gambling taxes is unfolding as Burnham sets out proposals for an NHS-style social care system. The plan could require tax increases across the economy, with gambling among the sectors that may be considered for additional revenue.
Hurst said: “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. That is why we are asking Britain to Back Our Betting Shops. This campaign is about telling the stories behind the statistics and making sure the voices of the people whose jobs and communities are at stake are heard.
