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The debate over gambling taxes in the UK just got louder, and Northern Ireland is leading the call for change.
In a letter to the Chancellor, the All-Party Group (APG) on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling urged the government to drop plans to align tax rates for all remote gambling products, warning that the proposal could fuel addiction rather than reduce it.
A plea to stop the “harmonisation” plan
Lawmakers fear equal tax rates could push players toward riskier games.
Signed by APG Chair Philip McGuigan MLA, the letter argues that treating all forms of remote gambling equally would “incentivise” operators to promote more addictive products such as online casino games and slots over lower-risk options like sports betting.
The group’s concern is simple: if operators make the same profit regardless of product type, they will steer customers toward the games that generate higher spending, and greater harm.
A tax rise with a purpose
The APG says the solution is about boldness.
Citing analysis from the Social Market Foundation and the Institute for Public Policy Research, the group supports raising the Remote Gaming Duty to 50% and the General Betting Duty to 25%.
According to both think tanks, this adjustment could bring in up to £2bn (US$2.6bn) in extra annual revenue while discouraging play on the most harmful products.
McGuigan emphasised that not all gambling carries the same risks. “Online slots and casino games present far greater dangers than traditional betting,” he said, adding that gambling-related harm costs the UK more than £1bn a year in social and healthcare impacts.
Northern Ireland’s unique challenge
The call comes from a region hit hardest by outdated laws and limited safeguards.
The letter highlights that Northern Ireland has the highest rate of problem gambling in the UK yet still operates under outdated legislation that predates the modern online gaming landscape.
McGuigan and fellow members warned that the government’s harmonisation plan could deepen inequalities between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, where stronger regulatory protections already exist.
They also argued that many remote gambling operators, often based offshore, remain undertaxed and contribute little to local economies through jobs or supply chains.
Growing tension over the Treasury’s proposal
The APG’s intervention adds another voice to a heated national debate.
Supporters of tax harmonisation claim it would simplify the system and provide fairness across products. But critics argue it would have the opposite effect, potentially worsening addiction rates while destabilising industries such as horseracing that depend on betting revenue.
For Northern Ireland’s lawmakers, the message is this: gambling taxes should reflect risk, not convenience.
As the Treasury weighs its options, one question lingers: will the UK choose simplicity or safety in its next gambling tax reform?
Source: Gambling Insider
