BGC CEO Makes Unflattering France Remark Over UK Gambling Taxes

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has issued a stark warning about the existential threat posed by black market sites should greater gambling tax rates be imposed. Reacting to a fresh report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the BGC has only confirmed fears that more UK gamblers will be pushed to unlicensed sites.

Black market activity has been fuelling the UK gambling taxes debate. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has previously insisted that betting companies should pay their ‘fair share’, although it is unknown how deep she will go when she delivers her Autumn Budget speech at the end of the month.

What has the study shown?

Recent studies headed by the Gambling Commission failed to determine the size of the black market in Great Britain, but the latest report by PwC seems to have had more tangible findings.

In the report entitled ‘Impact of the taxation and regulatory environment on European online betting and gaming markets’, clear links were drawn between black market growth and European countries with restrictive policies. For example, France (57% black market growth) and Sweden (35%) have seen large proportions of its operations shift offshore.

However, in countries where there are more moderate tax rates implemented, such as Denmark and Spain, there are greater levels of onshore participation, with only around 11% of gambling taking place outside the regular market. As far as the UK is concerned, around 5% of betting takes place on unlicensed sites, which is significantly higher than the 3% estimate in 2021.

Moreover, the findings showed that higher gambling duties increase public revenues. Between 2019 and 2024, countries with tax rates below 25% of gross gaming revenue experienced an annual growth of 13% in tax receipts, compared to 9% in higher-tax regions.

PwC’s report effectively illustrated that higher tax rates and more constrained rules led to smaller regulated markets, while those countries that maintained a more balanced approach to taxation enjoyed stronger growth. With the UK government desperately trying to fill a black hole in their finances, the Treasury Committee has urged Reeves to take a strong stance.

Gambling industry to spiral out of control?

There has been increased speculation that the remote betting and gaming duty (RBGD) could soar in the UK from 21% to 50%. However, the BGC CEO, Grainne Hurst, thinks the betting industry could take a turn for the worse if the government gets its way with setting new gambling tax rates.

In a statement, she said: “Britain has one of the safest gambling markets, but if the Treasury isn’t careful, we could quickly end up like France or Sweden, with huge black markets contributing nothing in tax, offering zero protection, and providing no funding for sport or the economy.

“Well-balanced regulation and fair taxes protect players, raise more revenue for the Treasury, and support thousands of jobs. Unlicensed operators do none of these things.”

On a collision course with the Treasury Committee

Debate has been ramping up over the past few months, with the Treasury Committee and the BGC sending out conflicting messages over gambling taxes. Consultations have taken place, and the Treasury Committee has been unrelenting in pushing for greater taxes.

In contrast, the BGC is worried that increasing gambling taxes will not only see heightened black market activity, but there will also be over 40,000 jobs put at risk. Within that, over £3 billion, they have suggested, will be wiped off the gambling sector’s contribution to the economy.

The emphasis, as far as the BGC sees it, should be on safeguarding the UK betting industry. However, if the new damning report is anything to go by, things could be plunged into chaos come November 26.

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