SMF Poll Reveals 43% Back Doubling Tax on Adult Gaming Centres and Casinos

The Social Market Foundation released polling data in late June 2026 that shows 43 percent of the public supports a future Labour government doubling Machine Games Duty from 20 percent to 40 percent on adult gaming centres and casinos, and the figures point to annual revenue gains between 275 million and 458 million pounds on top of the existing 600 million pounds collected from Category B two-pound stake machines. This duty applies specifically to those higher-stake devices found in high-street locations while leaving lower-stake machines in pubs untouched, and the proposal emerges amid documented patterns where adult gaming centres cluster in areas of higher deprivation.

Details of the Proposed Tax Increase

Researchers at the think tank framed the change as a targeted adjustment rather than a broad industry levy, and the extra proceeds would come solely from the Category B machines that dominate adult gaming centres along with casino floors. Current collections hover around 600 million pounds each year from these devices, yet the doubled rate could push that total upward by the amounts outlined in the polling release, and operators in town centres would absorb the direct impact while pub-based terminals remain at the original 20 percent level.

Those who examined the distribution noted that adult gaming centres often locate near communities already facing economic pressure, and the polling connects this placement pattern to the case for higher taxation without extending the measure to every venue type.

Public Support Figures and Context

Forty-three percent of respondents expressed backing for the increase under a Labour administration, and the survey tied the idea to broader worries about how these venues interact with local economies. The data does not claim universal approval, yet it registers clear minority support that policymakers could reference when weighing next steps, and the same poll links the proposal to potential measures if Andy Burnham assumes the role of prime minister.

Observers tracking gambling policy note that Category B machines carry a two-pound maximum stake, and this distinguishes them from the lower-stake options found elsewhere, while the duty adjustment would affect only the former group. Revenue estimates range from 275 million to 458 million pounds annually once the rate reaches 40 percent, and those projections rest on current machine volumes reported across high-street sites and casino properties.

Implications for Operators and Locations

High-street operators and casino groups would face the increased liability on their Category B equipment, and the structure spares machines in pubs because those devices fall outside the targeted category. Data on venue placement shows concentrations in deprived districts, and the Social Market Foundation report connects that geographic tendency to the rationale offered for the tax shift. Andy Burnham's name surfaces in the discussion because any future premiership could open the door to implementation, although the poll itself stops short of predicting outcomes.

Figures from the release indicate the existing 600 million pounds baseline would rise substantially under the doubled rate, and the additional sums would derive exclusively from the adult gaming centres plus casino operations rather than spreading across every gambling format. This selective approach keeps the change focused on the venues and machine types named in the survey.

Revenue Projections and Machine Categories

Calculations within the polling material project the extra yield at between 275 million and 458 million pounds each year once Machine Games Duty sits at 40 percent, and the money would come from Category B two-pound stake units alone. Lower-stake terminals in pubs stay exempt from the increase, and this distinction preserves their current tax treatment while shifting the burden onto the higher-stake machines that define adult gaming centres and casino floors.

Those reviewing the numbers can trace the potential uplift directly to the duty change without requiring alterations to stake limits or venue numbers, and the report keeps its scope limited to the tax adjustment and the public response captured in the survey.

Conclusion

The Social Market Foundation polling stands as a single data point released at the end of June 2026, and it records 43 percent support for doubling the duty on the specified machines while estimating the revenue range and noting the geographic patterns around adult gaming centres. The proposal remains tied to a possible Labour government move and references Andy Burnham's position without claiming certainty about future decisions. Operators in affected locations now have the figures to review, and the distinction between high-street venues and pub machines continues to shape where the increased rate would apply.