UK
BGC Urges UK Chancellor to Drop the Proposed New Gambling Tax Simplification Measure
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has urged the UK Chancellor against using a proposed new gambling tax simplification measure to further raise taxes which will threaten sports including horse racing.
In the Autumn Statement, the Government confirmed it will consult on new proposals to bring remote betting into a single tax, replacing the current three-tax structure.
General betting duty and pool betting duty are set at 15% of operator profits, but remote gaming duty, levied on games of chance such as online casino, is set at 21%.
Any hike in betting duty would likely lead to lower margins on racing, fewer offers for punters and less funding to sponsor and promote the sport.
The tax threat comes as revenues are already being stretched by so-called affordability checks on customers, plans to replace the current voluntary levy with a new statutory levy to fund Research, Education and Treatment to tackle gambling related harm and spiraling costs for betting operators to support horse racing.
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “Any further new tax rises could be a hammer blow for horse racing’s finances, which are already threatened thanks to measures proposed by the Government in the recent white paper.
“This is a sport which relies heavily on betting operators for its success and yet the Government appears determined to draft in measures which shrink the industry with huge ramifications for other sectors, like horse racing.
“What’s worse, the Treasury didn’t bother to consult or even inform DCMS, which is the department responsible for betting and racing. It seems they are high on tax but low on joined up government.
“There are genuine fears that any so-called simplification of the current tax structure will be nothing more than a Trojan Horse to further raise taxes on businesses.
“This has the potential to risk jobs and investment, and undermine the competitiveness of British horse racing on the global stage, placing its rich history and heritage in peril.
“We were promised an Autumn Statement that would deliver growth – the only thing growing is the list of worries for the betting and horse racing industries”.
The proposed new tax simplification plan comes soon after the Government’s White Paper, published in April, which included measures that will cost online operators in excess of £895m in Gross Gambling Yield.
And comes as bookmakers are preparing to make a record contribution to horse racing next year – with the bill for media rights forecast to increase by nearly £30m.
The Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, Entain, Flutter, bet365, 888/William Hill and Betfred, expect to see a record cost increase to broadcast races.
In 2022, BGC members paid £270.1m for the rights to live stream races for customers and show them in bookmakers.
But that cost is forecast to rise to £285.3m this year, an increase of 5.6%, with members estimating a further increase to £315.2m in 2024, a further bump of 10.5%.
The forecast costs come after the BGC announced their members directly contributed £384m to British horse racing last year in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
In addition, bookmakers spent £125m on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships.
Horse racing is the second biggest sport in the UK, second only to football, with more than five million people attending around 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
However, its popularity is in decline. In 2007, 17% of the population participated in horse race betting in the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to reviewing the Horseracing Levy by next year.
The Horseracing Levy, which is administered by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, goes towards improving the sport, breeding and boosting veterinary care.
Betting operators are working closely with the British Horseracing Authority and racing stakeholders on much needed reforms to the fixture list and race programme which should increase commercial returns from the levy and media rights.
Betting shops support 42,000 jobs on the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, generating £800 million a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.
But this contribution is under threat, the combined impacts of recent regulatory reforms and Covid lockdowns have forced the closure of over 2000 shops with the loss of 10,000 jobs since 2019.
The wider regulated betting and gaming industry contributes £7.1bn to the economy, generates £4.2bn in tax and supports 110,000 jobs.
The BGC has repeatedly warned changes to the regulated betting and gaming sector by the Government must not risk forcing customer to the unsafe gambling black market online.
A study by PWC showed the number of customers using an unlicensed betting website has grown from 210,000 to 460,000 and billions is being staked.
Each month in Great Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
Press Releases
National Gambling Support Network helps over 110,000 people as self-referrals increase by 50% since April 2023
New data released today reveals how many people have been supported by the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) since its launch in 2023, with data also showing an increase in self-referrals by over 50% in year two. Waiting times for a first assessment are also shown to be offered after an average of just two days.
Since April 2023, the NGSN has supported over 110,000 people over the two years since launch. This is based on the number of individuals who accessed services including the National Gambling Helpline, regional providers, primary care and residential services. These fall into three tiers of support (Tiers 2-4) including assessments, brief interventions, extended brief interventions (EBI), treatment sessions, reviews and aftercare.
The impact of a region-first approach, which is designed to deliver local support and services for people, and access to providers with knowledge and understanding of the local community, can be seen through more individuals accessing support directly from their local provider, with self-referrals into the system increasing by over 50% since launch.
Brief Interventions (BI), which involve short-term strategies aimed at addressing gambling harms through time-limited conversations, allow early engagement and support before challenges escalate, and offer advice and signposting to further help if required. Increasing early support has been central to the NGSN and as a result, these have seen a significant rise in the second year of the Network, having nearly doubled with a 93% increase, from 11,000 to over 21,000 people receiving a meaningful intervention.
Person-centered support means that people are also accessing the service that works for them and around their personal lives and circumstances, such as peer support, group work and 1:1 therapy. The average waiting time for a first assessment is now an average of two days across the network.
Through increases in outreach and engagement activity and improvements to tools such as the GambleAware service finder to enhance awareness of support available amongst frontline professionals and the public, individuals are more likely to engage with local support services directly.
Since the launch of the GambleAware service finder website in July 2024, we have seen an estimated 21,000 people directed to NGSN provider referral options, which includes links to email addresses, phone numbers, self-referral forms and websites.
Those with the most severe cases of gambling harm will often require Tier 4 treatment, which is the most specialised and intensive level of care within the NGSN, where a person stays at a residential treatment centre.
Jackie Menzies, from Southport, is one person who has benefited from the support of the NGSN and its tier 4 care. Jackie started gambling when he was 20, and after realising that the effects of gambling harms were having an impact on his mental health and wellbeing, he was directed to support from Cheryl Williams at NGSN provider, Adferiad, with the service he received described as “lifesaving.”
Jackie, now 38, said: “I owe Cheryl and the team at Adferiad my life.
“From the moment I was introduced to them, I was contacted, informed, and treated with respect and understanding for both myself and my addiction. I was guided and informed of what options might be available to me and how I might be able to get help.
“I had treatment at their Parkland Place Centre and from the empowering attitudes of the staff, I have enrolled in a Level 3 counselling course at my local college, and I’m looking to the future to be able to help people who are suffering from addictions like I am to grow and be able to find peace and happiness again.”
Anna Hargrave, Deputy Chief Executive at GambleAware, says: “The second year of the National Gambling Support Network presented an opportunity to take the learnings from year one and focus on how we can best support those affected by gambling harms.
“We’ve seen an increase in the number of people being supported and importantly, an increase in brief interventions and self-referrals, which means we can support people earlier and reduce the potential for further harm.
“The expertise within the Network is unrivalled and providers play a key role in helping people across the country, whether that be at the start of their journey, or supporting them at the end. We look forward to working with the future commissioners and the NGSN with the integration of the network into the future system to ensure providers can continue offering their crucial services.”
Significant work has gone into improving the support and care individuals receive, with the NGSN delivering a range of successful interventions, from increased prevention activities and community-based early interventions to continued development on expanding more efficient pathways into structured treatment. In so doing, this has ensured and enabled more people to access support and achieve strong outcomes, through a no wrong door system to reducing the impact of gambling harms.
Joy Allen, Police & Crime Commissioner for Durham and vocal advocate for prevention of gambling harms, said: “Gambling, like any addiction, has the power to completely control the lives of those affected and those closest to them. It can negatively impact individuals financially, emotionally, socially and in terms of their mental wellbeing.
“We need to think of gambling-addiction in the same way in which we think of and support those with Drugs and Alcohol addiction. It is an illness that can lead people to commit crime to feed their addiction and those in its thrall need rehabilitation, not censure. It can certainly lead to abject misery. It is estimated that there are nearly 500 gambling related suicides a year in England highlighting the urgent need to encourage more people to seek help. In 2023 around 5% of the North East population aged over 16 was classified as an ‘at risk’ gambler, often spending more than they afford and chasing losses leading to financial strain, anxiety and stress.
“In response, and in line with the priorities I’ve placed on tackling gambling harm, Durham Constabulary has signed the National Gambling Charter which commits the Constabulary to providing specialist training for its officers so that they can identify those at risk and signpost them towards support. I urge other organisations to do the same. Collectively we can, and will, do more.”
The National Gambling Support Network is available for anyone who is experiencing harm from gambling and wants support for it, including people who are affected by someone else’s gambling. All services are free and confidential.
The post National Gambling Support Network helps over 110,000 people as self-referrals increase by 50% since April 2023 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
CopyBet has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), increasing its integrity monitoring coverage in the UK and globally, covering current and future markets. The collaboration will enable integrity data from CopyBet’s online betting platform to be shared with IBIA’s global monitoring network, which includes over 80 companies and 140 sports betting brands monitoring over $300bn per annum in betting turnover.
Anton Ivanov, Business Development Director, CopyBet UK, said: “Responsible gambling, and looking after our customers, is part of our core values at CopyBet, and joining the International Betting Integrity Association will enable us to continue providing safe gambling conditions for our players. We look forward to working with IBIA and support its mission of protecting the integrity of the industry.”
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “IBIA is pleased to welcome CopyBet as our newest member to our growing association. This partnership strengthens our global monitoring network and reinforces our shared commitment to protecting the integrity of sport and regulated betting markets. We look forward to working closely with CopyBet to detect and deter betting-related corruption and to protect the integrity of the markets offered to consumers.”
CopyBet operates under the UK Gambling Commission Licence and Class B bookmaker’s licence in Cyprus, and is a unique bookmaker that allows customers to copy the bets of top tipsters alongside a traditional Sportsbook. CopyBet is the Official Front of Shirt Partner of Queens Park Rangers Football Club in the EFL Championship, as well as AEK Larnaca, PΑC Omonia 29M, Enosis Neon Paralimni, and Aris Limassol in the Cyprus First Division.
IBIA is a not-for-profit body that has no competing conflicts with the delivery of commercial services to other sectors and was established by operators, for operators, to protect regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing.
IBIA’s global monitoring and alert network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets. Through the IBIA monitoring network it is possible to track transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. Additional functionality was added in 2024, with that technological upgrade enhancing the association’s ability to detect and report suspicious activity on its members’ betting markets.
The post CopyBet reinforces its commitment to sports betting integrity via IBIA membership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Conferences in Europe
Inaugural iGaming Event for Technology Leaders: Technology in Gaming Conference 2025
The iGaming industry is getting a dedicated space for its most forward-thinking technical leaders with the launch of the Technology in Gaming Conference 2025 (TiG 2025) — an exclusive new event created specifically for CTOs, CIOs, and senior technology stakeholders in the iGaming world.
Taking place on 1st July 2025 as part of London iGaming Week in partnership with iGB Live!, this specialist conference will bring together some of the most innovative minds in technology to explore the future of cybersecurity, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, compliance, and scalability. TiG 2025 is designed to give technical leaders a forum tailored to the real challenges and opportunities shaping iGaming today and in the years to come.
“I am delighted to see other organisers bringing their own events that meet the need of specialist verticals within the industry as part of London iGaming week. The team at iGB L!VE are pleased to be able to support this event, and encourage iGaming senior IT professionals to join what we know will be an event that offers excellent content and networking opportunities for them” said Naomi Barton, Portfolio Director at Clarion – Organiser of iGB Live!
Topics on the agenda include:
- Scalable architecture & infrastructure
- AI & machine learning in iGaming
- Compliance & security in regulated markets
- Future-ready platform innovation
- Engineering teams, DevOps, and automation
“As an industry driven by technology I think it’s important to create a space that speaks specifically to the leaders developing and driving the change that has such a big impact on the growth and development of such an exciting sector” commented Shona ODonnell, Event Director.
Pretty Technical, a leading provider of iGaming software and platform solutions, is proud to be named the headline sponsor of this inaugural event. The company’s commitment to innovation and modern architecture makes it a natural fit for an event designed to shape the next chapter of gaming tech.
“As a business that thrives on building technology designed for the next decade, not the last, we’re thrilled to support TiG 2025 and connect with the talented tech leaders shaping the future of iGaming,” said Emma Blaylock, CEO Pretty Technical.
The event is also sponsored by Claranet, experts in modernising and managing critical applications and infrastructure 24×7, and Marshall Wolfe, a dedicated hiring consultancy specialising in digital and technology sectors.
Registration is now open with tickets currently discounted by £200 until 31st May.
The post Inaugural iGaming Event for Technology Leaders: Technology in Gaming Conference 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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