27 Sep 2026
Proposed Machine Gaming Duty Increase Raises Concerns for Genting Casinos UK Operations
Background on the Tax Proposal and Industry Response
Paul Willcock, CEO of Genting Casinos UK, outlined in a CityAM opinion piece the potential effects of doubling the Machine Gaming Duty from 20% to 40% on land-based gaming machines, a change under consideration ahead of the UK Budget scheduled for October 28, and he noted that such an adjustment would render 13 of the company's 32 UK casinos unprofitable or unsustainable according to internal modeling.
Those calculations also indicated that around 850 positions could face risk if the higher rate takes effect, while investment plans might stall and surrounding local economies could experience knock-on effects from reduced operations at affected sites, and similar points had surfaced earlier in the month when Rank Group voiced parallel worries about the same duty adjustment.
Details from Genting's Internal Assessment
Internal modeling conducted by Genting Casinos UK formed the core of the warning, showing that the proposed rate change would push a significant portion of its venues into negative territory, and the figures aligned with broader sector data from a Bacta industry survey that captured negative impacts across multiple operators facing the same tax structure.
Observers note that land-based casinos rely heavily on machine gaming revenue, so an increase of this magnitude would compress margins at locations already operating under tight cost controls, while the survey results highlighted how smaller or mid-sized venues might absorb the hit less effectively than larger urban properties.
Parallel Concerns from Rank Group and Sector-Wide Data
Rank Group had already flagged comparable risks earlier in the month, pointing to reduced viability for certain sites and potential constraints on future capital spending, and the alignment between the two operators underscores how the duty rise could affect a range of businesses within the land-based gaming segment.
Data from the Bacta membership survey reinforced these company-specific projections by documenting projected revenue shortfalls and employment pressures across the wider industry, with the combined evidence suggesting that the tax adjustment would hit multiple regions rather than isolated markets.
Potential Economic Ripple Effects
Local economies tied to the 13 at-risk Genting venues could see reduced footfall and supplier spending if closures or scaled-back hours occur, while the 850 jobs at stake represent direct employment plus associated roles in hospitality and maintenance that support casino operations, and the Bacta survey indicated similar patterns repeating at other companies that rely on machine income to sustain staffing levels.
Investment decisions already in the pipeline might pause or shift elsewhere because higher duty rates would extend payback periods on new equipment and refurbishments, turning what had been routine upgrades into marginal propositions under the revised tax burden.
Context of the Upcoming Budget Decision
The October 28 Budget date serves as the immediate decision point for the proposed duty change, and industry participants have used the run-up to that date to present modeling and survey findings to policymakers weighing revenue needs against operational sustainability, while the Genting op-ed and earlier Rank Group statements form part of that pre-Budget dialogue.
Figures shared in these statements draw directly from venue-level financial data and the Bacta survey responses, providing concrete benchmarks rather than generalized estimates for how the rate doubling would translate into specific venue outcomes.
Conclusion
The warnings from Genting Casinos UK and Rank Group center on measurable effects tied to the Machine Gaming Duty adjustment, including the 38% of Genting venues that would become unprofitable, the associated 850 positions, and the sector impacts documented in the Bacta survey, all of which feed into discussions ahead of the October 28 Budget.
Those elements together illustrate the direct link between the proposed tax rate and the operational choices facing land-based casino operators across the UK.