MPs on the Treasury Select Committee have accused betting firms of exaggerating the damage that higher taxes would cause to the industry. In a report, published ahead of the Budget, they urge the government “not to cave in to industry scaremongering”.
Taxes on the industry should properly reflect the social harm some forms of gambling cause, the Committee says.
She added: “For too many people, the highly addictive and harmful nature of online betting games has seriously impacted their lives and the lives of those around them.”
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) estimates that the government could raise an extra £3.2 billion [$4.2 billion] a year by increasing taxes on online gambling, physical slot machines and sports betting.
