Doubts over £458m gambling tax plan emerge days before Budget

A week before the Budget, questions have emerged about the evidence behind a proposed £458m gambling tax rise, after internal comments revealed doubts among the campaigners that were pushing for the increase. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) told City AM that the comments, which appeared in a draft report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), raised concerns about whether the impact on jobs and high streets had been properly assessed. The reported internal comments raise serious questions about the evidence being used to justify further tax increases and whether the full consequences for jobs, businesses and high streets have been properly considered , a BGC spokesperson said. The row comes as Chancellor John Healey considers raising Machine Games Duty, a tax on gambling machines in betting shops, casinos and other venues, in next Wednesday’s Budget. The SMF has called for the duty to double from 20 to 40 per cent, arguing that the move could raise up to £458m annuall