- Rachel Reeves will abolish 10% bingo gambling duty tariff in 2026
Bingo! Taxpayers may not be feeling lucky after having their pockets picked of a total estimate of £26billion – but a surprise Budget winner is the traditional bingo hall.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that she will abolish the 10 per cent bingo gambling duty tariff from April next year.
In contrast, remote gaming duty will rise from 21 pc to 40 pc, and a separate new 25 per cent tax will be rolled out in April 2027 for remote betting.
The Treasury hopes that these taxes will rake in a total £1.1billion over five years.
Jonny Unknown, managing director of the independent Dabbers Social Bingo in Houndsditch, City of London, says: ‘This is a great unexpected surprise – and means we no longer have to bother with the huge administrative headache of dealing with a 10 per cent gambling duty charged on money paid out on the bingo ticket stakes after paying for prizes.
‘Hopefully, it means we will be able to share this welcome news with more prizes, currently ranging from novelty ‘fish flops’ to £250 wins.’
He adds: ‘It has been a tough time for the hospitality industry over the past year, with a National Insurance tax hike for employers when paying staff hitting us hard. It is welcome news to find a crumb of comfort in this Budget.’
Unexpected surprise: Jonny Unknown celebrates the modern appeal of bingo
A cheap night out that has evolved with the times
Although bingo is essentially gambling, it has been rising in popularity in recent years – with more than three million people playing bingo in halls and online regularly for a chance to win a jackpot, usually starting at £200 but in some cases national competitions pay up to £100,000.
A key appeal of bingo is that it offers a place to socialise with others in a friendly controlled environment, and gambling is typically limited to paying £2 a game – with a night out playing bingo costing little more than £20.
Eyes down: TV star Gemma Collins was National Bingo Week’s mystery caller last year
While traditionally callers used cheeky phrases, such as ‘two fat ladies’ for 88, bingo has been transformed by younger fans, with almost half now aged under 35.
These days you are more likely to hear ‘Will and Kate’ for 88.
In contrast, remote gambling relates to gaming that is done over the internet using laptops and smartphones that largely focuses on games poker, roulette, blackjack.
Miles Baron, chief executive of the Bingo Association, says: ‘Abolishing bingo duty is a transformative moment for clubs – and a clear recognition of the community value we provide.
‘After years of rising costs and economic pressure, the announcement gives clubs the stability and headroom they need to reinvest, modernise and secure thousands of jobs across Britain.’
Tax expert Marc Levitt, a partner at Blick Rothenberg, says: ‘The Government consulted on setting up a single remote betting and gaming duty earlier this year but decided against this – and sparing sectors, such as bingo and horse racing, is welcome news.
The Chancellor also announced £26million of funding over the next three years to tackle the unlawful gambling market. Sadly, this is a drop in the ocean for the multi-billion-pound industry.’
Industry regulator the Gambling Commission says: ‘We do not have anything to add on matters relating to taxation. Fiscal policy is a matter for the Treasury and Government.’
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