Autumn statement raises prospect of increase in duties on remote gambling with consultation set to launch

The document which accompanied Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt's statement in the House of Commons on Wednesday reveals the government is looking at the treatment of remote gambling in what could be a blow to the Tote and British racing more widely.

It is also more bad news for the gambling industry which is already having to deal with the impact of the government's gambling white paper published in April.

The autumn statement document said the government "will consult shortly on proposals to bring remote gambling (meaning gambling offered over the internet, telephone, TV and radio) into a single tax, rather than taxing it through a three-tax structure".

There are currently three types of duty on gambling – remote gaming duty, general betting duty and pool betting duty. 

Since April 2019 duty on remote gaming – defined as playing a game of chance for a prize – has been charged at a rate of 21 per cent of an operator's profits from UK customers.

However, general betting duty, which covers general or pool bets on horse or dog racing whether in betting shops or online, spread bets and exchange bets, is charged at a rate of 15 per cent.

Pool betting duty, which is charged on bookmakers' profits from bets that are not at fixed odds and are not on horse or dog racing, is also set at 15 per cent.

The consultation raises the prospect of general betting and pool betting duty being increased to match remote gaming duty.

In what would appear to be good news for betting shops and on-course bookmakers, the consultation is set to cover just remote gambling.

It is understood that gambling industry representatives are seeking more clarity from the Treasury.