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DCMS warned Treasury gambling tax proposals could miss revenue forecasts
Documents reportedly show that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport warned the Treasury that proposed gambling tax increases could raise less revenue than projected and might not reduce harm. The concerns covered possible operator changes, higher costs for customers and a shift to illegal gambling. The documents related to a July 2025 Social Market Foundation paper, according to the report.
CMS tax co-head says Treasury needs deeper understanding of gambling sector
CMS tax co-head Stephen Hignett said the UK Treasury still needs to understand why parts of the gambling industry operate offshore, ahead of the budget. He said the sector’s history and competitive conditions shaped those arrangements, following Treasury scrutiny of offshore companies and a consultation on gambling taxes.
UK Treasury Committee backs higher taxes on online gambling
The UK Treasury Committee urged the government to reflect differing levels of gambling harm in its tax approach to online betting and gaming. It rejected the Betting and Gaming Council’s warning that higher taxes could push customers towards unlicensed platforms, and recommended examining black-market measures and possible anti-avoidance rules.
UK Treasury reportedly drops plan for unified gambling tax
The UK Treasury has reportedly abandoned plans to combine Remote Gaming Duty, General Betting Duty and Pool Betting Duty into a Remote Betting and Gaming Tax. The proposal, published for consultation in April, faced opposition from the horseracing sector, which argued that applying a unified rate would disadvantage racing betting; the Autumn Budget is due on 26 November.
UK Treasury Committee hears tax rises alone may not curb problem gambling
The UK Parliament’s Treasury Committee heard that gambling tax increases alone would not be sufficient to address problem gambling. IPPR economist Carsten Jung told MPs that higher rates might raise revenue without deterring all customers, and said the Netherlands was not a direct comparison because it had introduced other regulatory changes alongside tax rises.