BGC urges protection for 36,000 betting-shop jobs ahead of Budget

The Betting and Gaming Council warned on 13 October 2026 that betting shops support more than 36,000 jobs in the UK and asked the Government to protect those roles in the upcoming Budget. The body said more than 80% of those jobs are outside London and that raising Machine Games Duty (MGD) to 40% could remove up to 16,000 jobs, put almost 1,500 betting shops and up to 34 casinos at risk, and leave the Treasury up to £124 million worse off. These figures come from independent modelling by EY and form the centrepiece of the BGC’s campaign ahead of the Budget.

Local employment and workforce demographics

More than 80% of betting-shop jobs are located outside London, according to the BGC. The sector provides work in market towns, former industrial communities and seaside towns, with a significant presence in the North of England.

Age distribution is notable: 19% of employees are under 25, versus 11% in the economy at large. More than half, 51%, are under 35, compared with 35% nationally. For many young people, betting shops are a first job and a route to acquire customer-service skills, cash handling and operational responsibility, with promotion opportunities into management roles.

Women account for 50% of the workforce, and the sector offers stable contracts and shifts that enable care commitments for children or dependants.

Tax-rise risk: EY modelling and regional effects

Independent EY modelling estimates that raising Machine Games Duty to 40% would imply:

• up to 16,000 jobs lost;

• almost 1,500 betting shops at risk;

• up to 34 casinos at risk;

• a negative fiscal impact for the Treasury of up to £124 million.

Of the total jobs potentially affected, 80% would be outside London and 27% in the North of England; that share rises to nearly 40% when Scotland is included. The BGC uses those percentages to emphasise the regional nature of the risk.

Message from BGC leadership

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said:

"Britain’s betting shops support more than 36,000 jobs, and more than eight in ten of them are outside London. These are good, secure jobs in market towns, former industrial communities and seaside towns, many of them across the North, where opportunities can be harder to find."

Hurst added:

"Independent EY modelling shows that raising Machine Games Duty to 40 per cent could cost up to 16,000 jobs, put almost 1,500 betting shops and 34 casinos at risk, and leave the Treasury £124 million worse off. That would mean fewer jobs, more empty units on struggling high streets and less money for public services."

In its statement the executive called on the Chancellor to rule out any increase in MGD, assess the harm already caused by previous tax rises and halt the scheduled increase in General Betting Duty.

Fiscal context and the sector’s economic contribution

The statement notes recent changes to the tax burden: the increase of Remote Gaming Duty to 40% and a scheduled rise in General Betting Duty in April 2027. The regulated gambling and betting industry in the UK already supports 109,000 jobs, contributes £6.8 billion to the economy and generates more than £4 billion a year in taxes.

Betting shops contribute roughly £140 million a year to racehorse breeding and racing in Great Britain, and BGC members fund more than £40 million a year for sports such as the English Football League (EFL) and the rugby league. The BGC uses these figures to link shop closures with impacts on local employment, sports sponsorship and tax receipts.

What the BGC asks for and the risks for public policy

The BGC sets out three concrete demands to the Government ahead of the Budget:

1. rule out any increase in Machine Games Duty to 40%;

2. assess the damage already caused by previous tax increases; and

3. halt the scheduled rise in General Betting Duty.

The association’s argument is that taxing in-person operations further would deter activity and employment and, in the EY-estimated scenario, reduce net receipts for the Treasury. The BGC also highlights the inconsistency between official rhetoric on supporting youth employment and the practical reality of raising taxes on an employer that hires a high proportion of under-35s.

Implications for operators, communities and regulators

For operators and suppliers the proposed tax change creates financial and strategic uncertainty about the viability of shop networks in lower-activity areas. For local authorities and communities it means the risk of more empty shopfronts on already-pressed high streets. From the regulator’s and Treasury’s perspective, the BGC presents the economic case that raising MGD to 40% could reduce, not increase, tax receipts.

For sector follow-up and coverage, this debate combines elements of regulation and of impact analysis in news and b2b.