Entain and Rank warn further gambling tax rises in Budget would close venues and cut jobs
Entain and Rank Group, reporting third-quarter results on 15 October, urged the government not to raise gambling taxes further at the Budget, saying closures and job losses would follow. Both reported growth in their UK businesses.
Updated (version 2). Rewritten with the latest reporting.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, and Rank Group, which runs Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo, each warned the government on Thursday 15 October that further gambling tax increases at the coming Budget would threaten venues and jobs. City A.M.RC “Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, and Rank Group, which operates Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo, issued separate warnings on Thursday” Read at City A.M. ↗ Evening StandardN “Further tax hikes will threaten jobs and venues, two UK gambling firms have warned the Government before the autumn Budget.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Entain chief executive Stella David said the company "strongly urge[s] the UK Government to carefully consider any further gambling tax increases which would threaten the viability of many shops, jobs and livelihoods", and Entain described the UK as an "increasingly challenging tax environment". Evening StandardN “We strongly urge the UK Government to carefully consider any further gambling tax increases which would threaten the viability of many shops, jobs and livelihoods.”“Entain, which also owns Coral, said the UK has become an “increasingly challenging tax environment”.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2Rank chief executive Richard Harris said any increase to machine games duty would raise costs, reduce venue viability, lead to closures and job losses, reduce tax receipts and halt investment. Evening StandardN “any increase to machine games duty will increase costs, reduce venue viability, lead to venue closures and job losses, reduce tax receipts and halt investment.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ City A.M.RC “Any increase to Machine Games Duty will increase costs, reduce venue viability, lead to venue closures and job losses, reduce tax receipts and halt investment” Read at City A.M. ↗
Mixed · 2City A.M. reported Harris as saying speculation over tax rises was already weighing on Rank's investment plans and could lead to layoffs, while the Evening Standard quoted him saying it weighed on investor sentiment and that HM Treasury had recognised the economic arguments last year. City A.M.RC “speculation over further gambling tax increases was already weighing on the company’s investment plans and could lead to layoffs” Read at City A.M. ↗ Evening StandardN “HM Treasury recognised these economic arguments last year” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Government is reportedly considering raising machine games duty, the tax on fruit machines, roulette machines and other slot machines; remote gaming duty on online casino and slots rose from 21% to 40% in April, following changes announced at last year's autumn Budget. Evening StandardN “The Government is reportedly considering an increase in the rate of machine games duty, which is the tax on fruit machines, roulette machines and other slot machines”“remote gaming duty, the tax on online casino and slots, was increased from 21% to 40% in April this year” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Right · 1City A.M. said the warnings were addressed to John Healey ahead of Healey's first Budget on 28 October, when the chancellor is expected to announce tax rises to bolster public finances, and that the Treasury could target gambling for extra revenue. City A.M.RC “The warnings come ahead of Healey’s first Budget on 28 October, where the chancellor is expected to launch a series of tax rises”“speculation that the Treasury could target the sector for additional revenue” Read at City A.M. ↗
Mixed · 2Both firms reported growth in the UK: Rank's like-for-like net gaming revenue rose 5% to £216.1m in the three months to 30 September, with Grosvenor venues and digital each up 6%; Entain's UK and Ireland business grew, helped by online revenue. Evening StandardN “like-for-like net gaming revenues rose by 5% to £216.1 million for the quarter to September 30” Read at Evening Standard ↗ City A.M.RC “with its UK and Ireland business growing eight per cent, driven by a 14 per cent jump in online revenue” Read at City A.M. ↗ Mixed · 2Entain's group net gaming revenue growth was reported as two per cent by City A.M. and 4% by the Evening Standard; both said Brazilian sales fell after an online gambling ban there. City A.M.RC “Entain said net gaming revenue rose two per cent in the third quarter” Read at City A.M. ↗ Evening StandardN “net gaming revenues increased by 4% across the group in the third quarter of 2026” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Right · 1Rank closed three venues in the quarter, in Swansea, Reading Central and Sunderland; City A.M. said Rank called them no longer economically viable, and that it kept its full-year profit expectations assuming no further UK tax changes. City A.M.RC “The company also closed three venues during the quarter, in Swansea, Reading Central and Sunderland, which it said were no longer economically viable.”“It maintained its full-year profit expectations, assuming no further changes to the current UK tax regime.” Read at City A.M. ↗
Right · 1City A.M. also reported that Entain reiterated its annual guidance but expects underlying earnings at the lower end of its £910m to £960m range, and that BetMGM, its US joint venture, posted third-quarter revenue of $710m. City A.M.RC “Entain also reiterated its annual guidance, although it expects underlying earnings at the lower end of its £910m to £960m range.”“reporting third-quarter revenue of $710m and adjusted earnings of $86m” Read at City A.M. ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the warnings as industry pushback against reported tax proposals, with tax background explained.
- Emphasis
- Explains machine games duty and the rise in remote gaming duty to 40%, and quotes Harris on the Treasury's earlier recognition of the arguments and the growth agenda.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the chancellor or give the Budget date; omits Entain's earnings guidance and BetMGM figures.
- Charged language
- “tax hikes”
- For example
-
“The Government is reportedly considering an increase in the rate of machine games duty” — Evening Standard
“our casinos and bingo clubs can play an important role in the Government’s growth agenda” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the warnings to John Healey and sets them against the chancellor's first Budget on 28 October, with extensive financial detail on both companies' results.
- Emphasis
- Budget context, Rank's investment and layoff risk, and detailed results including BetMGM and Entain's earnings guidance.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the April rise in remote gaming duty from 21% to 40% as a specific figure, or Harris's remark that the Treasury recognised the arguments last year.
- Charged language
- “tax hikes”
What every side reports
- Entain and Rank both warned on 15 October that further gambling tax rises would hurt venues and jobs.
- Both reported UK growth in the third quarter; Rank's like-for-like net gaming revenue rose 5% to £216.1m.
- Rank closed three venues (Swansea, Reading Central, Sunderland) in the quarter.
- Entain's Brazilian business was hit by an online gambling ban.
Where accounts differ
-
Entain's group net gaming revenue growth in Q3
- Centre
- The Evening Standard says it increased 4% across the group.
- Right
- City A.M. says it rose two per cent.
Entain organisation
Says the UK is an increasingly challenging tax environment and urges the government to weigh the threat to shops, jobs and livelihoods before raising gambling taxes.
“We strongly urge the UK Government to carefully consider any further gambling tax increases” — Evening Standard
Rank Group organisation
Says any rise in machine games duty would cut venue viability, cause closures and job losses, lower tax receipts and halt investment, and that its venues can support the government's growth agenda.
“any increase to machine games duty will increase costs, reduce venue viability, lead to venue closures and job losses, reduce tax receipts and halt investment.” — Evening Standard
John Healey person
Named as the chancellor to whom the warnings are addressed ahead of Healey's first Budget on 28 October; no response is reported.
“Two of Britain’s biggest gambling operators have warned John Healey” — City A.M.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Gambling tax hikes will cause closures and job cuts, say Entain and Rank
Neutral Agency-style report of the firms' warnings, with explanation of the duties involved and Rank's growth-agenda argument.
Right1 article
-
Entain and Rank warn Budget tax hikes threaten betting shops and jobs
Neutral Business report relaying the operators' warnings against the Budget backdrop, with detailed results.
- 15 Oct 08:06 First City A.M.RC Entain and Rank warn Budget tax hikes threaten betting shops and jobs
- 15 Oct 09:12 +1h 6m Evening StandardN Gambling tax hikes will cause closures and job cuts, say Entain and Rank
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…