Genting Casinos UK Raises Alarm Over Proposed Machine Games Duty Doubling
Cameron Friedrich · Sep 26, 2026
Genting Casinos UK Raises Alarm Over Proposed Machine Games Duty Doubling
Paul Willcock, CEO of Genting Casinos UK, issued a direct warning in a City AM opinion piece that government plans to raise Machine Games Duty from 20% to 40% on land-based electronic gaming machines would push 13 of the company's 32 casinos into unprofitable territory, and those sites represent roughly 38% of the portfolio.
The increase would add approximately £16 million to annual operating costs while placing around 850 jobs at risk, and the statement arrives ahead of the October 28 Budget announcement that follows the April 2026 rise in remote gaming duty.
Details Behind the Warning
Willcock outlined specific figures showing how the doubled rate would affect physical casino operations that rely heavily on electronic machines, and those machines generate substantial revenue yet face thin margins once tax, staffing, and venue costs are factored in. Observers note that the 13 affected sites would likely face closure decisions because sustained losses become unsustainable when duty doubles without corresponding revenue growth.
Industry analysts have tracked similar patterns in other jurisdictions where sharp tax hikes on gaming devices led operators to consolidate or exit markets, while the current proposal targets only land-based venues and leaves online operators under a different regime that already saw its rate adjusted in April 2026.
Financial and Employment Consequences
The £16 million added cost burden would hit Genting Casinos UK directly, and the company calculates that 850 positions tied to those 13 locations could disappear if closures proceed. Data from the operator indicates these sites currently contribute to both local economies and Treasury receipts, yet the higher duty would reverse that contribution once venues shut down.
Those who've examined the numbers point out that reduced footfall and machine play after closures would shrink overall tax collections, because closed sites generate zero revenue and zero duty payments. The Treasury therefore faces a scenario where an intended revenue boost instead produces a net decline once multiple operators respond in the same way.
Timing Relative to Recent Duty Changes
The remote gaming duty adjustment implemented in April 2026 already altered the competitive landscape between online and land-based sectors, and the proposed Machine Games Duty increase would widen that gap further. Operators of physical casinos argue that the combined effect creates an uneven playing field where customers migrate online while bricks-and-mortar venues absorb higher costs without offsetting relief.
City AM published Willcock's op-ed in the weeks leading up to the October 28 Budget, giving policymakers and stakeholders time to review the projected impacts before final decisions are confirmed. The piece emphasizes that the measure applies exclusively to electronic gaming machines in licensed casinos rather than to table games or other offerings.
Industry Survey Findings on Broader Effects
A Bacta membership survey examined how the same Machine Games Duty rise would affect the wider land-based gaming sector, and the results indicated widespread closure risks across multiple operators. The survey data, available at the linked coverage, shows that smaller venues in particular would struggle because they lack the scale to absorb the extra £16 million industry-wide cost pressure that larger groups like Genting already project.
Figures reveal that once sites close, associated supply chains, local suppliers, and municipal tax bases also contract, creating ripple effects beyond the immediate 850 positions identified by Genting. Policymakers have received these projections as part of ongoing consultations ahead of the Budget date.
Potential Treasury Revenue Implications
Willcock's statement highlights that closures ultimately reduce Treasury revenue because shuttered casinos stop paying Machine Games Duty altogether, and the operator projects this outcome if the rate moves to 40%. Historical patterns in the UK gaming market demonstrate that abrupt tax increases on physical venues have occasionally triggered consolidation rather than sustained higher collections.
Those monitoring the sector expect further submissions from other casino groups before the October 28 deadline, each providing venue-specific data on profitability thresholds under the proposed rate. The single news development centers on Genting's calculation that 13 locations cross into loss-making territory once the duty doubles, with no offsetting measures outlined in the current proposal.
Conclusion
The warning from Genting Casinos UK CEO Paul Willcock supplies concrete figures on how a doubled Machine Games Duty would affect 13 sites, 850 jobs, and £16 million in added annual costs ahead of the October 28 Budget. The statement follows the April 2026 remote gaming duty increase and precedes potential decisions that could reshape land-based casino viability across the UK market.