Survey finds betting shops serve as community hubs amid UK closures
Research shows 76% of betting shop users rate them positively as social spaces, while operators close shops and face potential tax increases.
Community role of betting shops
A survey has found that betting shops play a significant role in local communities, with 76% of users rating them positively as places to meet and interact, comparable to 77% for cafés.
A total of 68% of respondents said betting shops are established high-street fixtures, while 60% said they sustain local employment. Meanwhile, 54% of betting shop customers said they combine their visit with other local activities on most or nearly every visit.
Closures and job losses
The findings come as betting shop operators face pressure, with Betfred and Evoke both having closed a significant number of shops this year. Flutter announced this week that 1,400 jobs across its UK and Ireland business were at risk as part of a restructure.
Tax pressures
The UK sector has been heavily impacted by the rise in remote gaming duty from 21% to 40%, which came into effect from April this year.
Ahead of next week’s autumn budget, a group of Labour MPs sent a letter to UK Chancellor John Healey calling for machine games duty to be increased. The rise, which is expected to be announced in Wednesday’s budget, could be increased from 20% to 40%, although The Times reported this week that it could be capped at 25%.
Sources
- iGaming Business · Industry media · primary source ·
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