Budget 2026: Healey warned betting tax hikes could hit non-league football

The Chancellor has been warned that tax rises on betting operators could have an impact on non-league football amid duty hike fears at next week’s Budget. Chancellor John Healey will next week deliver Andy Burnham’s first Budget since his coronation as Prime Minister earlier this year, and taxes are expected to be jacked up on the gambling industry. There are fears that machine games duty could be doubled to 40 per cent, inflicting an additional £100m in costs on retailers, though recent reports suggest a smaller, more realistic rise may still have adverse implications for sports such as horse racing. Nick Robinson, the chair of the Isthmian League, on behalf of the Northern Premier, Isthmian and Southern Leagues – which are sponsored by Ladbrokes and Coral parent Entain – wrote: “At our level of football, a few thousand pounds can make the difference between a good idea remaining on paper and a community project getting off the ground. “Our clubs play at the seventh and ei