The Autumn Budget for 2025 has announced that taxes on gambling operators will be raised across most categories of gambling. This will almost certainly result in significantly worse RTP (Return To Player) for anyone gambling in any licensed capacity, including both online and in-person gambling. It is yet another assault on gamblers’ wallets, but it is worth noting that this change will not result in you paying more taxes personally, as withdrawn gambling winnings are not subject to tax.
Key Gambling Tax Changes
The following are the most notable changes announced:
Remote Gaming Duty Increase
The rate of Remote Gaming Duty will rise from 21% to 40% from 1 April 2026.
This covers online gambling or any form of gambling conducted over a remote communication line.
New Remote General Betting Duty
A new rate of General Betting Duty will be introduced for general bets made remotely (for example, online) from 1 April 2027.
A 25% remote rate will apply to all remote betting other than remote bets on UK horse racing, which will remain unchanged.
Bingo Duty Abolished
Bingo Duty will be abolished entirely with effect from 1 April 2026.
Government Revenue Expectations
The government claims that these tax increases will raise an additional £1,000,000,000 per year. The largest rise is targeted at remote gambling, which is generally considered to have the highest profit margins.
One of the most interesting elements of the announcement is the complete repeal of Bingo Duty. Additional tax code clauses are being introduced to ensure bingo is not brought under any other gambling-specific taxes. The government states this is due to bingo having a lower risk factor than other forms of gambling.
