Live Roundups Editor's Desk Insights Executive Ops Weather About 🔍
Home › Business & Finance › British racing chief warns budget tax hike may have...
Business & Finance

British racing chief warns budget tax hike may have ‘devastating’ impact on sport

The Guardian Sport Wednesday 28 October 2026, 17:35 UTC By Greg Wood 1 min read
Key Points

Call for urgent talks after gaming machines tax increaseBrant Dunshea: ‘thousands’ of betting shops may closeBrant Dunshea, the chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, said on Wednesday that the sport’s ruling body will “urgently engage with the government to establish how we can work together to reduce the impact” after John Healey, the chancellor, raised the duty on the profits from fixed-odds gaming machines in betting shops from 20% to 25% in his first budget. The widely...

  • Call for urgent talks after gaming machines tax increase

  • Brant Dunshea: ‘thousands’ of betting shops may close

Brant Dunshea, the chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, said on Wednesday that the sport’s ruling body will “urgently engage with the government to establish how we can work together to reduce the impact” after John Healey, the chancellor, raised the duty on the profits from fixed-odds gaming machines in betting shops from 20% to 25% in his first budget.

The widely anticipated rise in Machine Games Duty (MGD) was well below the doubling of the rate, from 20% to 40%, recommended by the Social Market Foundation think-tank earlier this year, but Dunshea warned that the move could “still prove devastating for our sport” since it presented a “clear risk” that “hundreds, if not thousands” of betting shops nationwide face closure as a result.

Continue reading...
British (ORG) Dunshea (PERSON) the British Horseracing Authority (ORG) John Healey (PERSON) Machine Games Duty (ORG) the Social Market Foundation (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian Sport Read original →

Related Stories

Eagles star Barkley says he was forced to divest equity stake in Polymarket

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he was forced to divest his equity stake in Polymarket to comply with NFL rules that prohibit players from investing in gambling or prediction-market companies. Barkley told Front Office Sports that the league relays to players before each season what they can and can't endorse and invest in, and that being involved with prediction markets is no longer allowed. "I was in it before, but no bueno," he told Front Office...

ESPN just now

Bond investor Jeff Gundlach talks to CNBC about Fed's rate pause, Warsh reducing vote-setting meetings

DoubleLine founder Jeff Gundlach will appear on CNBC's "Closing Bell" Wednesday to react to the Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates unchanged at its October meeting. Fed Chairman Warsh also announced that one meeting in 2027 and two in 2028 of the scheduled eight gatherings for the central bank will be focused on monetary policy strategy, where no vote on altering the federal funds rate will take place. After the Fed's decision to hike rates by 25 basis points at its September...

CNBC 10m ago

The Guardian view on Labour’s budget: bold ambitions and welcome first steps | Editorial

Banks, landlords and gambling firms will pay more as the chancellor begins building a fairer economy and a more active state in a cost of living crisisJohn Healey’s first budget was a Rorschach test. Supporters saw dozens of measures offering “breathing space” to a public worn down by rising prices. Critics admitted to a slew of announcements but countered that each was modest in value.

The Guardian UK 14m ago

Deutsche Telekom Is Said to Hit Brakes on Giant T-Mobile Merger

Deutsche Telekom AG’s plans to combine with its American arm T-Mobile US Inc. have hit a snag, people familiar with the matter said, casting doubt on what would be the largest-ever public merger.

Bloomberg Markets 16m ago