We need the government’s growth plan to apply to every industry – not more self-defeating tax rises

Betting and Gaming Council: A betting shop looks more like a coffee shop than a traditional ‘bookies’ these days.

Grainne Hurst, CEO | Betting and Gaming Council

6 min read04 June Partner content

The recent announcement of better than expected growth figures came as welcome relief for all of us who want to see the economy pick up. The ‘growth plan’ is central to the government’s agenda and we now need to ensure that every sector can contribute, including the UK’s betting and gaming industry.

Whilst 0.7 per cent growth for Q1 in 2025 was a pleasant surprise for economic commentators, allowing the government to boast that Britain has the fastest growing economy of the G7, Chancellor Rachel Reeves rightly said that she wanted to go “further and faster”, emphasising that the growth data came against “a backdrop of global uncertainty”.

Headline figures often mask a more complex reality. Many businesses, particularly in major job-creating sectors like retail and hospitality, have been hardest hit by rising employer National Insurance contributions and business rates.

There are undoubtedly inherent contradictions at the heart of government policy. Ministers say they are pro-business, yet continue to add costs. They talk of ‘light-touch’ regulation, while increasing regulatory burdens – from football to gambling. If the government is serious about growth, it must ensure rhetoric is matched by action.

I know that some people don’t like gambling. Attitudes tend to be more personal than political and there is still a huge amount of snobbery about it. Having a bet on the football, a day at the races or a night at the casino, isn’t for everyone and neither is playing bingo or buying a lottery ticket. But it is a pastime enjoyed by around 22.5 million adults each month.¹ Perhaps more prescient for the Treasury is the fact that highly regulated betting and gaming businesses contribute £6.8bn to the economy, generate £4bn in tax, and support 109,000 jobs.²

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is proud to be the standards body which represents over 90 per cent of this diverse and growing sector, including casinos, high street bookmakers and online operators, which have emerged as one of the UK’s few, genuine, global business leaders.

But despite this success and the obvious popularity of betting and gaming, this sector still draws scorn from some MPs and select quarters of the media. Often, that’s driven by a lack of understanding. Roughly half of all adults enjoy a bet each month, but I suspect that, unlike their constituents, half of all MPs won’t have a bet. The irony is our parliamentary representatives are probably pretty unrepresentative in this respect.

Most legitimate concerns do focus on the issue of problem gambling. This is something we take extremely seriously. The reality is that today’s regulated industry can be proud of its track record of raising standards, and according to the latest NHS Health Survey for England, just 0.4 per cent of adults were identified as problem gamblers.³

BGC members have voluntarily contributed over £170m over the last four years to tackling this issue, funding an independent network of charities currently caring for 85 per cent of all problem gamblers receiving treatment in Britain.⁴

Further, 20 per cent of TV, radio and now digital advertising, is committed to safer gambling messaging. We’ve also tightened rules for advertisements on social media to prevent young people from seeing ads, while our age verification efforts, online and in physical venues, are best in class.

Betting shops have changed beyond all recognition in recent decades. The dark and dingy smoke-filled rooms of several decades ago have been replaced with modern, safe, and inclusive premises. A betting shop looks more like a coffee shop than a traditional ‘bookies’ these days. Staff who have usually worked in the shop for years know their regular customers and are always on hand to help and intervene if they think anyone is experiencing difficulties. That’s why I was really proud that this year we had a record number of MPs and Peers visit a local betting shop to take part in the BGC Grand National Charity Bet campaign.

Despite frequent claims from the anti-gambling lobby about the prevalence of betting shops on our high streets the reality is that more than 2,400 have closed since 2019, leaving just 5,870 across the UK. This sharp decline highlights the significant and ongoing pressures facing the sector, which still supports around 46,000 jobs nationwide.

If Ministers want growth, they must back every sector – including the world-leading betting and gaming industry

To show her support for the hardworking men and women who work in our betting shops, I am urging the Gambling Minister, Baroness Twycross, appointed last July, to mark her anniversary in post by joining me and visiting one. The Minister has already visited Stoke’s bet365 HQ, which employs 6,000 people, as well as the iconic Hippodrome Casino in London, and I know how much a first official visit to a betting shop would mean to those who work in the sector. It would also demonstrate that the government is determined to support a vital part of our high street retail industry.

Like the BGC, this government has rightly strongly supported the implementation of the 2023 gambling white paper – the biggest shake up of regulations for a generation. We embrace change and higher standards. Indeed, we are leading most of the work to further raise standards. But the truth is, the measures contained within the white paper will cost the industry well over £1bn annually.

That’s why the Treasury’s recent proposal for a new, potentially higher single tax on online betting and gaming comes at the worst possible time. Such a move would risk driving away investment, undermining sports like horseracing, and pushing customers toward the unsafe, unregulated, and growing black market. Unlike the regulated sector, black market operators offer no consumer protections and pay no tax – meaning a higher tax rate could ultimately reduce, rather than increase, revenue to the Exchequer.

BGC members welcomed the recent growth figures. We want to support the Chancellor and play our part in the government’s growth agenda. But if Ministers really want to see growth, they have to will the means. That does mean backing every industry and every sector – including the world-leading betting and gaming industry. If we want firms to keep investing and employing people here in the UK, we desperately need stability – and not more self-defeating tax rises that can only threaten jobs and growth.

To find out more, visit www.bettingandgamingcouncil.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and X for the latest BGC news.