The UK Gambling Commission has published its fourth and last report of its ongoing series that is looking into the issue of illegal online gambling.
This series of reports,...
Entain CEO warns UK gambling tax rise could close betting shops
Entain’s CEO, Stella David, has warned that higher gambling taxes in next month’s UK budget could force the company to close betting shops and cut investment in the country.
Entain, which employs over 14,000 people in the UK, contributed £513 million in taxes last year. Across the industry, betting and gaming companies pay around £4 billion annually.
Speaking to The Times, David said any tax increase would make some of Entain’s 2,300 high street shops unprofitable.
She stated:
“Every point of tax increase would have consequences. At the end of the day, we want to build a profitable global business. If the UK becomes less attractive, we’ll need to look elsewhere.”
The government is reportedly considering sharp tax hikes in November’s budget. Proposals include raising:
- The remote gambling duty – 21% to 50%
- Slot and gaming machine duties – 20% to 50%
- The general betting duty – 15% to 25%
These changes could raise £3.2 billion, but David warned they might push customers toward unregulated gambling sites, hurting both tax revenues and player safety.
While Entain has no current plans to move its stock market listing overseas, David said the company may reconsider if UK taxes rise too high, following rivals like Flutter that have already shifted abroad.
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