UK casino bosses warn that doubling machine games duty would cost jobs and investment
On Wednesday 15 October 2026, executives from Rank Group, Genting Casinos and the Hippodrome told a London panel that a possible rise in machine games duty from 20% to 40% would hurt investment and jobs. An industry body estimated up to 3,800 job losses.
UK tax policy does not change South African law or your account. It does show how heavily the industry lobbies against gambling taxes, and the arguments (jobs, investment, venue closures) are the same ones South African operators use when tax and regulation are debated here. The figures below come from industry bodies and operators with a stake in the outcome, so read them as one side of an argument.
What was said
iGaming Business reported on 16 October 2026 on a panel held the day before at the Hippodrome Casino in London. Speakers included the chief executive of Rank Group, the chief operating officer of Genting Casinos, the Hippodrome's executive chairman, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and the consultancy Regulus Partners.
The tax at issue is machine games duty, which is 20% now. A think tank proposed doubling it to 40% some months ago, and it has been reported as a possible item for the government's autumn budget. Nothing has been confirmed.
The numbers cited
- Rank's chief executive said the company has closed four venues in four and a half years.
- Rank also said it grew its machine estate by about 65%, from 1,400 to 2,250, after the Gambling Commission's 2025 land-based reforms raised the machine limit per casino from 20 to up to 80.
- The sector says it has a planned pipeline of around £200 million of investment.
- The NTIA estimated direct and indirect job losses could reach about 3,800 if duty rose. In a survey of 23 operators, 95.7% said they would cut staff and 60.9% said they might close a venue.
These are claims made by parties who would be affected by a tax rise, and we have not tested them independently.
What it means for South African players
This is a UK land-based story, so there is no direct effect on online play here. The wider point is that gambling tax and regulation are policy choices that governments revisit often, and operators respond by warning about the consequences. Expect similar arguments whenever South Africa debates changes to gambling rules or online licensing.
What to watch next
- The UK autumn budget, where any change to machine games duty would be announced.
- Whether the government responds to the sector's call for time to let the 2025 reforms settle.
- Further estimates of the impact on horse racing and retail betting, which the same debate covers.