UK casino operators increase bonus frequency but cut value after tax rise

Tax increase triggers shift in bonus strategy

On 1 April 2026, remote gaming duty in the UK rose from 21% to 40% of gross gaming yield. In the eight weeks that followed, the average casino brand ran 26% more existing-customer bonus offers on-site each day than in March 2026, according to new data.

Sports betting offers on the same sites slipped 2% in the eight weeks after 1 April 2026. General betting duty stays at 15% until April 2027, when it moves to 25% for everything except UK racing.

Offer values decline despite higher frequency

Almost all of the extra casino offers were drops worth £1 or less, or loyalty-coin offers with no stated value, and offers worth more than £1 did not increase. The typical casino operator’s existing-customer offer was worth 16% less in the eight weeks after the duty rise, and 19% less from late May.

Across eight casino brands with enough valued offers, the average offer value fell from £5.66 in March to £4.25. In April and May 2026, 53% of existing-customer casino offers were worth £1 or less, up from 42% in March.

The median casino offer halved from £2 to £1 before returning to £2, while sport’s median stayed at £5 throughout.

Sustained changes and jackpot focus

From late May to October 2026, casino offers were still 17% above March levels. Jackpots’ share of live casino offers rose from 2.4% in March to 4.7% from late May, and the number of brands promoting a casino jackpot went from four to seven by May.

New casino launches fell 22% in the eight weeks after 1 April 2026, while sportsbook launches fell 43% over the same period.