Labour MPs urge Chancellor to double tax on high-stakes slot machines
Ninety Labour MPs want the tax on high-stakes slot machines doubled to 40%, saying it could raise over £450m a year to reduce gambling harm, while the industry warns of closures and job losses.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Labour MPs push for higher tax on high-stakes slot machines
A group of 90 Labour MPs, led by Alex Ballinger, has called on the Chancellor to raise the tax on high-stakes slot machines with large jackpots. The MPs want the tax on those machines doubled to 40%. They say the change could raise more than £450 million a year to help reduce gambling harm.
The proposal targets high-stakes gaming machines with the biggest jackpots. Those machines are found in bingo halls, adult gaming centres and casinos. Supporters describe the push as cross-party in spirit, even though the letter to the Chancellor came from Labour MPs. The MPs said the aim was to recognise the harm seen in communities and to urge the Chancellor to act.
The case of Wendy Hughes was highlighted. She lost £2,000 in 16 hours in just one visit to an adult gaming centre. Her family discovered she was addicted to gambling when she was dying with cancer. Her daughter is now campaigning for greater regulation of the industry. She said fruit machine shops are open 24 hours a day, and her mother would spend between 12 and 16 hours spinning. A review of 12 months of bank statements showed about £30,000 had been spent in that period. "We have to try anything to prevent this level of harm," she said.
The gambling industry opposes the change. Betting and gambling companies claim it would threaten jobs and could force more venues to close. They say almost 1,500 betting shops and 34 casinos could shut, with nearly 16,000 jobs lost. Bingo halls would also be affected, and 27% are already operating at a loss. Industry representatives argue that addiction should be tackled through regulation and driving standards around safer gambling. They say they already pay a levy for research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm. They add that putting a tax on machines would only make bingo customers suffer if their clubs close.
The Treasury will not comment ahead of the budget. Gambling companies warn that the proposals would not raise any extra tax if venues are forced to close. Campaigners say the industry needs to stop feeding addiction.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| 90 Labour MPs, led by Alex Ballinger, called on the Chancellor to increase the tax on high-stakes gambling machines to 40%, which MPs said could raise over £450 million a year. | |
| The gambling industry warned that the proposed tax could close almost 1,500 betting shops and 34 casinos, with nearly 16,000 jobs lost. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1's evening bulletin framed the story as a clash between Labour MPs seeking a gambling tax and an industry warning about closures. It led with the political call, then gave significant space to a personal addiction case and to job-loss and bingo-hall concerns. It noted the Treasury would not comment before the budget and gave the industry's claim that closures would wipe out extra tax revenue.
- “A group of Labour MPs is calling for the Chancellor to impose a new gambling tax to help reduce the harm posed by high-stakes slot machines with large jackpots.”
- “The tax on them would double to 40%, which MPs say could raise more than £450 million a year.”
- “But the industry say it could lead to the closure of almost 1,500 betting shops and 34 casinos, with a possible loss of nearly 16,000 jobs.”
Broadcast Timeline
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