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The Gambling Commission claims that operators are already being impacted by tax measures that would increase general betting duty to 25% in April 2027 and remote gaming duty to 40% in April 2026.
A Year of Tax, Enforcement, and Licensing Changes in UK Gambling Regulation
The gambling industry in Britain is about to enter a phase of regulatory change that will impact local governments, operators, and law enforcement. Gambling Commission Director of Policy Ian Angus described changes in taxation, new work on gaming machines, and more actions related to the Gambling Act review in a speech given at the Institute of Licensing Gambling Conference.
Along with a bigger enforcement role for the regulator against unlawful gaming, he also mentioned pressure on land-based firms following last year’s budget. The speech outlined the Commission’s intentions for 2026–2027, high street property statistics, and current participation data.
Data on Participation and Damage
According to the Gambling Commission’s annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain, which polled almost 20,000 respondents, 48% of adults reported having gambled in the preceding four weeks. 38% of gamblers participated online, compared to 29% who gambled in person.
A large portion of that gap is made up of lottery products. After excluding lottery draws, 16% of participants had gambled online, and 18% had done so in person, a ratio that Angus claimed was typical of the prior year. Scratchcards came in at 13%, the National Lottery at 31%, and other charity lotteries at 16%.
The Problem Gambling Severity Index, a screening instrument that monitors risky gambling actions, is used in the same survey. 2.7% of individuals received a score of 8 or higher, which is associated with unfavourable outcomes and potential loss of control. Every year, that number remained statistically consistent.
Tax Stress and the High Street Presence
According to quarterly returns, industry income (gross gambling income) for 2024–2025 was roughly in line with the previous yearly estimate of approximately £16.8 billion. According to Angus, operator choices are already being affected by the 2025 Budget. Important adjustments include the elimination of bingo duty starting in April 2026, general betting duty increasing to 25% from April 2027 (from 15%), and remote gaming duty increasing to 40% from April 2026 (from 21%).
Regulation of Illegal Markets
To fight the black market, the Treasury has given the Gaming Commission an extra £26 million over the following three years. According to Angus, the funds will allow the regulator to increase the scope of its enforcement efforts, including additional efforts to combat illegal land-based gaming.
According to him, the Commission awaits the closure of several gambling establishments due to recent announcements made by major operators. In light of this, the regulator seeks to stop illicit operators from expanding in Great Britain while also investigating whether existing regulations burden licensed companies unnecessarily.
Guidelines for Equipment Specifications and Certification
After a consultation, the Commission is moving forward with changes to gaming machine requirements. In order to speed up the removal of dangerous or uncertified equipment from venues, operators are required to remove machinery that the regulator finds to be non-compliant starting on July 29, 2026.
The Commission promised in its 2026/27 Business Plan to comment on updated guidelines for licensing authorities to reflect changes from the Gambling Act review, and it stated that it will release the complete consultation response later in the summer.
Source: gamblingcommission.gov.uk
