Public Backs Potential Tax Hike on High-Street Slot Venues and Casinos
The Social Market Foundation released fresh polling data this week that shows 43% of the public supports a Labour government increasing taxes on adult gaming centres and casinos through a doubling of Machine Games Duty from 20% to 40%, and the figures have quickly drawn attention from policymakers and industry observers alike.
Those surveyed indicated backing for the change even as it would apply specifically to higher-stake Category B £2 machines found in dedicated venues, while leaving lower-stake machines in pubs untouched, and the thinktank estimates the move could raise an additional £275m to £458m each year on top of the roughly £600m already collected through the existing duty.
Details Behind the SMF Polling Numbers
Researchers at the Social Market Foundation designed the survey to capture attitudes toward targeted tax adjustments in the gambling sector, and the results revealed consistent support across several regions where adult gaming centres operate most densely, while responses also highlighted concerns about how these venues cluster in areas with higher levels of economic vulnerability.
Polling participants learned that the proposed duty increase would spare community pubs and their lower-stake offerings, which helped shape the overall 43% approval rating, and analysts note that this distinction appears to have played a role in preventing broader opposition from emerging in the data.
Projected Revenue Gains and Industry Scope
Current Machine Games Duty collections from Category B machines sit near £600m annually, yet the modelled uplift of £275m to £458m would arrive solely from adult gaming centres and casinos without affecting pub-based terminals, and the Social Market Foundation report ties these projections directly to the concentration of £2 stake machines in those dedicated locations.
Industry data shows thousands of such machines spread across high-street sites, and the tax adjustment would therefore focus its impact on a narrow slice of the overall gambling machine estate rather than spreading costs evenly across every venue type.
Links to Andy Burnham and 2026 Policy Discussions
Andy Burnham has previously criticised adult gaming centres for locating in neighbourhoods already facing economic pressures, and the new polling arrives at a moment when his comments are being referenced in conversations about potential tax and regulatory moves expected to unfold during 2026.
Those following the issue note that the Social Market Foundation findings coincide with wider government reviews of gambling taxation scheduled for later in the decade, while the 43% support level provides one data point that future decision-makers may weigh when considering changes to Machine Games Duty rates.
How the Proposal Would Operate in Practice
Under the outlined approach the doubled duty would apply only to machines inside adult gaming centres and casinos, sparing the lower-stake terminals that pubs rely upon for supplementary income, and this targeted structure is presented in the polling materials as a way to balance revenue goals with concerns about smaller community venues.
Operators of affected sites would face higher compliance costs on their Category B machines, yet the Social Market Foundation analysis suggests the overall gambling machine market would continue operating under the revised rates without immediate disruption to pub-based offerings.
Conclusion
The Social Market Foundation polling offers a clear snapshot of current public sentiment on this specific tax adjustment, and the accompanying revenue projections give policymakers concrete figures to examine as discussions about 2026 regulatory shifts continue to develop. Observers will watch whether these numbers influence upcoming decisions on Machine Games Duty and how the distinction between venue types shapes final policy outcomes.