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: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of including public health officials in the gambling license process.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has not had discussions on this matter with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
There are several ways that public health officials at local authorities contribute to the gambling licensing process. For example, as noted in the Gambling Commission’s Guidance to Licensing Authorities, public health teams can advise licensing authorities on their Licensing Statement of Policy for gambling, to help ensure it reflects current risks and knowledge. Public health teams can also contribute to the development of ‘local area profiles’. These can be used to identify higher-risk areas where gambling premises must implement mitigation measures to address risk, and the Gambling Commission and Local Government Association have encouraged licensing authorities to produce them.
We recognise some stakeholders have noted it is unclear whether the Gambling Act designates public health officials as a responsible authority in the licensing process. We will consider the best available evidence to inform any future decisions in this area.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will assess the potential merits of reviewing the aim to permit duty under the Gambling Act 2005 to strengthen the ability of local authorities to limit gambling harms.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local authorities are vital partners in the regulation of gambling and have a range of powers to influence the operation of gambling premises and limit gambling harm. These include site inspections, restrictions on opening hours, and suspending or revoking a gambling premises licence if premises are found to be non-complaint with the licensing objectives.
While the Government does not have any plans to review the ‘aim to permit’ provision in the Gambling Act at this time, we recognise that some authorities do not always feel that the tools at their disposal are fully effective in shaping local areas. As outlined in the Pride in Place Strategy, the Government will boost local authorities’ existing powers to influence the location and density of gambling outlets by introducing Cumulative Impact Assessments, when parliamentary time allows. This will give licensing authorities powers to determine whether the cumulative impact of the number or density of gambling premises in a local area undermines the licensing objectives, particularly in areas that have been identified as vulnerable to gambling-related harms.
Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of adult gaming centres on trends in the level of gambling harms in deprived areas .
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We do not hold official data on the relationship between deprivation and participation in gambling at adult gaming centres.
As part of the Pride in Place Strategy, published on 25 September, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to introducing cumulative impact assessments (CIAs) for gambling licensing when parliamentary time allows. The introduction of CIAs, alongside the broad range of powers already available to local authorities, will enable local authorities across England to take data-driven decisions on premises licences, particularly areas identified as vulnerable to gambling-related harms. It will allow authorities to take account of a range of factors, including deprivation, when making licensing decisions. This will empower local authorities to better shape their streets and neighbourhoods.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual budget was for the (a) Charity Commission and (b) Gambling Commission in each year since 2005.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Information on the Charity Commission and Gambling Commission’s annual net expenditure is included in each public body’s annual report and accounts. These are published annually on GOV.UK.
As a non-governmental department, the Charity Commission receives its funding directly from the Treasury. The Gambling Commission is primarily funded by licence fees paid by gambling operators - fee levels are set by DCMS and approved by Parliament.
The total annual net expenditure for each public body since 2005 is detailed in the following table:
Financial Year | Charity Commission Net Expenditure (£m) | Gambling Commission Net Expenditure (£m) |
2024-2025 | 32.0 | 31.9 |
2023-2024 | 32.2 | 13.9 |
2022-2023 | 32.1 | 14.5 |
2021-2022 | 28.8 | 25.0 |
2020-2021 | 28.0 | 19.3 |
2019-2020 | 27.0 | 37.5 |
2018-2019 | 25.7 | 27.6 |
2017-2018 | 22.6 | 23.2 |
2016-2017 | 24.9 | 20.9 |
2015-2016 | 23.7 | 19.6 |
2014-2015 | 20.9 | 18.3 |
2013-2014 | 22.8 | 15.9 |
2012-2013 | 25.7 | 13.8 |
2011-2012 | 26.9 | 13.3 |
2010-2011 | 28.8 | 13.4 |
2009-2010 | 31.4 | 13.9 |
2008-2009 | 31.7 | 15.3 |
2007-2008 | 32.6 | 16.7 |
2006-2007 | 30.7 | 14.4 |
2005-2006 | 31.3 | 10.2 |
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a progressive remote betting duty on small, independent bookmakers.
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 impacts are being assessed, and the Government will respond at Budget.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ensure that betting duty on greyhound racing (a) online, (b) in betting shops and (c) on course remains the same as for bets on horseracing.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
We consulted on measures to simplify gambling duty and improve compliance. The consultation closed on 21 July and all responses are being carefully considered. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax at fiscal events and will set out our response to the consultation at the Budget.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of gaming machines to the level of pubs’ supplementary income.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises the contribution of pubs to the nighttime economy in the UK, as well as the commercial pressures they face.
Although the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Gambling Commission do not hold official statistics on the contribution of gaming machines to the level of pubs’ supplementary income, we recognise that gaming machines are an important source of revenue to many pubs across the country.
Trade associations representing the pub sector, including the British Beer and Pub Association, UK Hospitality and the British Institute of Innkeeping, recently emphasised the importance of gaming machines in pubs, estimating that 48% of pubs have at least one gaming machine, with the total income from these machines equating to £622m per year.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission of the risk profile of charity lotteries, including the People's Postcode Lottery.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The department and the Gambling Commission have regular discussions covering gambling regulation, including society lotteries.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on the society lotteries sales limit.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The department and the Gambling Commission have regular discussions covering gambling regulation, including society lotteries.