The UK Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has taken goal at former Prime Minister Gordon Brown for supporting proposals to hike playing tax to lift funds to handle baby poverty.
Brown spoke out publicly to again a report from the Institute for Public Coverage Analysis (IPPR), because the assume tank urged the present British Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to decide to a major coverage change that may reportedly elevate round £3 billion ($4 billion) per yr.
These claims from the IPPR have been shot down by the BGC, which described the ideas as “something however considerate.”
The business physique outlined that the figures getting used had been incorrect. It was stated that the sector raises £2.5 billion in tax per yr, however the determine was corrected as £4 billion.
Crucially for the betting business, the commentary from BGC chief govt Grainne Hurst, went on to element the important thing coverage resolution applied by Brown, as Chancellor, greater than 20 years in the past.
It described his place taken final week as “an unlimited departure from Brown’s personal options on betting and gaming taxes when he was accountable for the general public’s funds.
“Lengthy since hailed as a masterstroke, his interventions raised extra tax, secured extra jobs, and created certainly one of this nation’s international enterprise success tales.”
That may be a reference to the choice to axe the follow of making use of tax to punters’ bets, which had a direct impression on the conduct of bettors. As soon as tax was now not being added to stakes, gamblers started to guess extra.
"Too many politicians take a snobbish objection to individuals who take pleasure in a guess," writes BGC CEO Grainne Hurst in at the moment's @Telegraph. However with 22.5 million adults in Britain betting every month – overwhelmingly safely – it’s time they began listening to them.https://t.co/SYmBaGOYPX pic.twitter.com/yWYlKfduog
— Betting and Gaming Council (@BetGameCouncil) August 12, 2025
Naive tax plans and political grandstanding gained’t assist
The BGC states the quantities elevated from £27 billion ($37 billion) to nearly £53 billion ($72 billion), with a major direct good thing about accumulating extra tax, total.
They went on to goal a stinging assault at “assume tanks for rent, just like the Social Market Basis and IPPR, (which) are in mattress with anti-gambling prohibitionists who merely don’t like our business.”
Then the BGC pointed to a contradiction with the organizations eager to see fewer individuals playing, however basing their analysis and report suggestions on current numbers nonetheless playing.
“How will you cut back the variety of individuals betting and improve taxes concurrently?”, posed the Council.
The response completed with pointed political questions directed on the present UK authorities and a protection of the betting business. The BGC insisted that it needs to play its half to assist stimulate financial progress, however “naive tax plans and political grandstanding gained’t assist with any of that.”
Picture credit score: BGC
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