Will the New Gaming Tax Mean Online Bingo Closes Down – Daily Business

The Autumn Budget has introduced one of the biggest changes to UK gambling tax in recent years. Online operators are facing an increase in costs, with remote gaming duty and remote betting taxes both rising over the next two years. This has raised concerns about which parts of the market will be most affected.

Online bingo has been mentioned in that debate, but so far it seems better positioned than some other online gambling products.

What Changed in the Budget

From April 2026, remote gaming duty will rise from 21% to 40%. A year later, a new 25% general betting duty will replace the existing 15% rate for remote betting, although it won’t apply to bets placed on self-service terminals, spread betting, pool bets or horse racing.

The Treasury expects these measures to raise £1.1bn by 2029–30, even if the higher prices lead to lower demand, as operators are expected to pass on most of these costs to consumers, by adjusting prices and payouts.

The changes come after a long consultation process, during which the government reviewed what the gambling tax system should look like. The final decision was to keep different products taxed separately rather than apply a single rate across the sector.

Where Online Bingo Fits into All This

While online gaming taxes are rising, bingo received some good news. The 10% bingo duty will be abolished from April 2026, a move that was welcomed by bingo hall operators.

While online bingo falls under remote gaming and will be affected by the higher duty rate, it doesn’t operate the same way as online slots or table games. Bingo players tend to spend less, play for longer periods, and value the social aspect as much as the prizes.

Because of this, many operators believe online bingo will be relatively fine, and this has been underlined by ITV’s decision to launch a real-money bingo and slots service rather than delay or cancel its plans.

The move suggests that bingo can continue to operate successfully under the new tax structure.

ITV Win Brings Real-Money Gaming

ITV’s decision to proceed with its real-money bingo and slots launch under the ITV Win brand shows how online operators are adapting to the new tax environment. The real-money service will be operated by Richmond Atlantic, which holds a UK Gambling Commission licence, with technology provided by Gaming Innovation Group. The bingo product will be powered by Pragmatic Play, though the slots are expected to generate the largest share of revenue. The platform is expected to go live early next year, following a soft launch period.

Although the increase in remote gaming duty has affected financial projections and some adjustments had to be made when it comes to payouts and promotions, ITV is moving forward confidently.

Will Online Bingo Close Down?

There’s little evidence that online bingo is reaching its end. While the wider gambling market is entering a more challenging period, bingo might be in a better place than many higher-risk products.

Online bingo looks set to remain part of the UK gambling landscape, even as operators adapt to a more demanding tax environment.