Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of betting shops on town centre vitality.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Some high streets have become increasingly dominated by certain types of premises – including gambling establishments – which don’t always meet the needs of their communities. According to the Gambling Commission, the number of adult gaming centres (AGCs) rose by 7% between 2022 and 2024, with additional data showing that AGCs are most concentrated in areas of higher deprivation.
My Department will take action to tackle the number of gambling premises in vulnerable areas by introducing Cumulative Impact Assessments in gambling licensing when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: John Slinger (Labour - Rugby)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what role the Betting and Gaming Council has had in informing Government policy on gambling advertising; if she will publish the Betting and Gaming Council’s report on gambling advertising; and what discussions she has had with industry bodies on gambling policy decisions.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to consulting the best available evidence on gambling advertising from a wide range of sources when assessing next policy steps in this space. It is for the Betting and Gaming Council to decide whether to publish their report on gambling advertising.
The Government regularly engages with a range of stakeholders, including industry bodies, in the development and delivery of gambling policy.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the equity of eligibility for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief of licensed betting offices and other gambling leisure premises, including adult gaming centres and bingo halls.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to betting and gaming levies on illegal gambling operations in the UK.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Estimates suggest the illegal market is relatively small in the UK, between 2 – 9% of legal online market stakes. The Gambling Commission is already tackling this risk and protecting consumers, but we recognise that modern technology makes it easier for illegal websites to target consumers. To further secure the legitimate market and protect consumers from illegal sites, at Budget 2025, the government announced an additional £26 million of funding over the next three years for the Gambling Commission to strengthen enforcement and tackle illegal gambling.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 21 May (HL7312), when the Betting and Gaming Council will publish its report on advertising.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has provided the Government with their report on gambling advertising. It is for the BGC to decide whether to publish it. We have reviewed the report and are considering this alongside a range of other evidence to determine next steps in this area.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the estimated annual tax revenue arising from the gambling industry.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Total Betting & Gaming Duty receipts for 2024-25 were £3.6 billion [1].
HMRC does not collate separate data for gambling operators for other tax heads.
[1]See https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-betting-and-gaming-statistics for further detail
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77715 on Betting: Excise Duties, which stakeholders her Department has engaged with through the consultation process.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government launched a consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system, which closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Autumn Budget 2025.
As part of the consultation process, the Government engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including, the British Horseracing Authority, the Jockey Club and Betting & Gaming Council as well as gambling businesses and charities.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the (1) Secretary of State for Scotland, and (2) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland have had with (a) South Ayrshire Council, (b) Scottish Borders Council, (c) East Lothian Council, (d) Perth and Kinross Council, and (e) South Lanarkshire Council, regarding their proposal to establish a remote betting and gaming duty and the potential impact on horseracing at the racetracks located in each local authority area.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As part of the consultation process, the UK Government has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and continues to work with representatives of horseracing to identify any potential unintended consequences for the sector, and how they might be mitigated.
The Government’s consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Budget 2025. The consultation relates to the structure of gambling duties, and no decision has yet been made on rates. If any changes are made to gambling duties at Budget following the consultation, legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted any economic analysis of the potential financial impact of their proposed remote betting and gaming duty in Scotland on (1) the horseracing industry, and (2) other businesses supported by horseracing.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As part of the consultation process, the UK Government has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and continues to work with representatives of horseracing to identify any potential unintended consequences for the sector, and how they might be mitigated.
The Government’s consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Budget 2025. The consultation relates to the structure of gambling duties, and no decision has yet been made on rates. If any changes are made to gambling duties at Budget following the consultation, legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the (1) Secretary of State for Scotland, and (2) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, have had with Scottish Racing about their proposals to establish a remote betting and gaming duty.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As part of the consultation process, the UK Government has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and continues to work with representatives of horseracing to identify any potential unintended consequences for the sector, and how they might be mitigated.
The Government’s consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Budget 2025. The consultation relates to the structure of gambling duties, and no decision has yet been made on rates. If any changes are made to gambling duties at Budget following the consultation, legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.