How Could Gambling Regulation Changes Affect Betting On Football?
Reform of the UK gambling industry has been discussed for many years now. There are many concerns by anti-gambling campaigners around several areas. If reforms were to be introduced, how would they affect gambling on football?
Every week gamblers place bets on football. It’s not just English Premier League games that wagers are placed on. The number of football matches that odds are available for has seen massive growth in recent years, especially online.
Online bookmakers are keen to be able to offer in-play betting on as many matches as possible, throughout the day and night. That means it is possible to bet on games played around the world and not just at the highest levels. Betting opportunities exist for reserve and youth games as well as those at the senior level.
October 30 sees the autumn budget take place and that may give us an indication of what lies ahead for the UK gambling industry. There are concerns that it may see a large increase in the rate of gambling tax.
With a huge black hole in finances, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves is looking at ways to boost finances. One alarming rumour is that gambling tax will be increased by 138%. Such a move would raise additional funds for the treasury but would cause damage to the UK’s gambling industry.
It’s claimed that remote gambling duty (RGD) could be increased from 21% to 50%. There may also be a rise in general betting duty tax that bookmakers have to pay. This could see the rate being doubled from 15% to 30%.
With so much money being gambled not just on football but online casino games, higher tax rates could bring in a great deal of much-needed revenue. They wouldn’t cause too many problems for actual gamblers.
There is no indication of a return to the days when every bet you’d place on football was subject to taxation. Gamblers could either pay a tax when placing their bet (at times 10% of the stake) or see the tax paid on their winnings.
If gambling tax rates were increased though, it would certainly affect the companies though. Their profits would be reduced and that might just be the first of a series of measures taken against the industry.
There has been talk of reforming the UK gambling industry for many years. The previous Conservative government published a White Paper on the subject last year. Little has happened since then and now it’s the turn of Labour to deal with the situation.
One area where the government could take action is regarding the bonuses offered by online casinos. These are a major tool for gambling companies as they try to attract and maintain customers. The offering of free bets is seen on a daily basis, especially when it comes to gambling on football.
In a highly competitive industry, companies use free bets and other bonuses to ensure you bet with them, not their rivals. Free bets or enhanced odds are regularly offered on major football fixtures. However, there are concerns over their use and there are many campaigners who would like to see action that bans or limits their use.
Labour have said that they will discuss gambling reform with companies before taking action. That’s for the future but this month could see damaging news for the UK gambling industry if the rumoured tax increases are implemented.
Another concern by campaigners is the number of gambling-related advertisements seen during English Premier League games and included in radio broadcasts. Research by the University of Bristol has shown that the number of gambling-related advertisements during week one of the new Premier League season was nearly three times higher than last term.
Over 29,000 gambling messages were seen, a rise of 165% compared to the first weekend of last season. During West Ham’s opening fixture against Aston Villa, there were 6,500 gambling-related messages. That worked out at around 30 a minute.
Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has had his own battles with gambling addiction. He says the gambling industry is “out of control.” Shilton then added that the industry is unable to “regulate itself” and government action is required.
Despite plans to ban front-of-shirt sponsorship by gambling companies from the end of the 2025/26 season, more deals are being signed. If there was to be a government ban on advertising and other forms of sponsorship it would seriously hit football.
While Premier League sides wouldn’t struggle to find new sponsors, it might not be the case for lower-league sides. The EFL is sponsored by Sky Bet and losing that deal could cause serious problems in the future.
