Thinktank Report Highlights Public Backing for Tax Increases on High-Street Slot Machines

Recent analysis from an influential thinktank shows that 43 percent of the public supports Labour's plans to raise taxes on adult gaming centres along with high-street slot machines and casinos, and this backing comes at a time when revenue projections point to substantial new income if the changes move forward under potential leadership from Andy Burnham.

Details of the Proposed Tax Adjustment

The report outlines a specific adjustment to machine games duty, often referred to as MGD, where the rate would double from the existing 20 percent to 40 percent on Category B machines that allow £2 spins, and this shift targets the land-based sector rather than remote operations while focusing on high-street venues that currently contribute around £600 million annually in existing duties.

Projections within the analysis estimate that teh increase could deliver between £275 million and £458 million in additional yearly revenue from these machines alone, and such figures emerge from calculations that account for current usage patterns across adult gaming centres and casinos without assuming changes in player behaviour or machine numbers.

Context Around Category B Machines and Current Taxation

Category B machines represent a defined class under UK regulations, and they include the £2-a-spin slots found in many high-street locations where players engage with fixed-odds betting terminals and similar devices, while the current 20 percent duty applies uniformly to these units and forms part of broader government income from gambling activities that has remained stable in recent years despite economic pressures.

Observers note that these machines operate in regulated environments subject to licensing by local authorities, and data from industry tracking shows consistent contributions to the £600 million baseline that the proposed doubling would build upon without altering the fundamental structure of how operators report and pay the duty each quarter.

Role of Andy Burnham in Potential Implementation

Andy Burnham appears in the report as a key figure who could advance the measure if he assumes the role of prime minister, and the thinktank frames the tax rise as part of wider fiscal strategies that align with Labour priorities around public services while drawing on the 43 percent support level as evidence of voter tolerance for targeting this specific gambling segment over other options.

Figures in the analysis connect the proposal directly to Burnham's potential influence on policy direction, and they highlight how the revenue could support budget allocations without requiring adjustments to remote gambling taxes or other areas of the sector that have seen different growth patterns in recent data releases.

Public Support Levels and Survey Findings

The 43 percent figure stems from survey responses collected as part of the thinktank's research, and it reflects attitudes toward raising duties specifically on adult gaming centres and high-street casinos rather than a blanket approach across all gambling forms, while breakdowns in the report show variations by demographic groups that indicate stronger alignment among certain voter segments on fiscal measures aimed at land-based venues.

Researchers who compiled the data emphasize that this level of support stands independent of broader gambling policy debates, and they tie it to perceptions of fairness in taxing machines that generate steady footfall in town centres across the country during the period leading into July 2026.

Revenue Projections and Economic Calculations

Additional income estimates range from £275 million to £458 million on top of the existing £600 million, and these projections rely on straightforward multiplication of the doubled rate against reported machine income without incorporating secondary effects such as potential shifts in machine deployment or player migration to other formats, while the thinktank presents the range to account for minor variances in annual performance data.

Analysts involved in the study cross-referenced government statistics on machine numbers and average stakes to arrive at these totals, and the resulting numbers position the tax adjustment as a targeted revenue tool that could integrate into fiscal planning for the 2026-2027 period if political conditions allow implementation under Burnham or similar leadership.

Connection to Wider Gambling Taxation Landscape

Current machine games duty operates alongside other levies in teh UK gambling framework, and the proposed change would apply only to the specified Category B machines in physical locations rather than affecting online equivalents that fall under separate remote gaming duty rules, while the report avoids direct comparisons and instead focuses on the isolated impact within high-street settings.

Data from official sources shows that land-based slot operations have maintained their contribution levels through recent quarters, and the thinktank uses this stability as the foundation for its forward-looking estimates that could add meaningful sums to treasury receipts by the end of the next financial year.

Conclusion

The thinktank report delivers clear data on both public attitudes and revenue potential tied to a doubling of machine games duty on Category B machines, and it positions the 43 percent support alongside the £275 million to £458 million projection as central elements that could shape discussions if Andy Burnham advances the measure following the June 2026 publication of the findings. According to the analysis, these elements remain grounded in existing operational data from adult gaming centres and high-street casinos, which continue to generate the baseline £600 million under the current 20 percent rate. Further details appear in coverage from the Guardian and related gambling reporting.