UK casinos are preparing to invest more than £200m in venues nationwide following government modernisation reforms, but the Betting and Gaming Council warns that doubling Machine Games Duty from 20% to 40% would immediately wipe out over £50m of planned capital expenditure. Projects would be cancelled or scaled back.
Genting Casinos closed its Coventry venue yesterday after it became unprofitable. The operator said further MGD increases would trigger more closures, redundancies and rollback of investment across the country. Specific projects at risk include £8m in Bristol, £5m in Cardiff and £5m in Bournemouth. Genting is planning a major reconstruction of London's Trocadero, a project expected to create hundreds of jobs and revive one of the capital's landmark entertainment sites.
The UK casino sector directly employs over 10,000 people and supports another 3,700 jobs. It handles around 14 million visits annually, contributed £515m in tax in 2025 and generates £815m for the economy. Many casinos have become large leisure destinations — gaming, restaurants, bars, live shows, sports broadcasts — driving footfall to neighbouring businesses in city centres.
Grainne Hurst, chief executive of the BGC, said modernisation reforms were designed to unlock investment, create jobs and support regional economies. 'Our members have responded with £200m in projects. Raising the tax contradicts the government's own objectives for growth and private investment. We are ready to invest — there is no point undermining the success of the reforms with new taxes.'
