SMF Poll Highlights Public Backing for Tax Changes on Adult Gaming Centres

The Social Market Foundation released polling data in late June 2026 that shows 43% of the public supports a future Labour government raising taxes on adult gaming centres and casinos through an increase in Machine Games Duty, and this figure emerges while discussions continue around gambling regulation ahead of potential policy shifts in July 2026.

The proposed change would double the duty rate from 20% to 40% on Category B machines that allow £2 spins, which generates the bulk of revenue from these venues, while leaving lower-stake machines found in pubs untouched by the adjustment.

Current Machine Games Duty collections from these Category B machines sit around £600m annually, and the SMF figures indicate that doubling the rate could bring in an additional £275m to £458m each year depending on how operators respond to the higher levy.

The adjustment targets high-street adult gaming centres along with casinos that operate these higher-stake machines, and it reflects ongoing attention to how such venues operate in various communities across the UK.

Those who have reviewed the polling note that support stands at 43% for the tax rise, yet the data also captures a portion of respondents who remain undecided or opposed to the specific measure.

High-street operators running adult gaming centres would face the direct effects of the doubled duty on their £2 spin machines, while casinos that rely on similar equipment would encounter comparable cost increases.

Pubs and other locations with lower-stake machines stay outside the scope of this particular proposal, which creates a distinction based on stake levels and venue categories rather than applying a blanket change across all gaming machines.

Observers who track industry responses point out that such a targeted adjustment could influence how operators manage their machine portfolios and site locations in the months following any implementation.

The polling connects the tax proposal to concerns about adult gaming centres placing locations in deprived areas, and the SMF release frames this as part of wider conversations around gambling access and community effects.

Andy Burnham appears in the discussion as a potential prime minister who might pursue related actions, and the polling release positions the duty increase as one option under consideration within Labour policy circles during 2026.

The SMF thinktank presented the findings as evidence of public sentiment on the specific tax measure, and the release occurred against a backdrop of continued scrutiny of land-based gambling venues in the UK.

Figures from the poll break down support levels without specifying exact sample sizes or margins in the initial summary, yet the 43% backing provides a benchmark for those following developments in gambling taxation.

People who follow these releases often compare them to previous surveys on gambling policy, although this particular data set focuses narrowly on the Machine Games Duty adjustment for adult gaming centres and casinos.

The estimated additional revenue range of £275m to £458m builds on the existing £600m collected from Category B machines, and the projections account for possible changes in player behaviour or operator adjustments after the rate doubles.

Category B machines at the £2 stake level form the core of the taxed activity under discussion, whereas machines with lower maximum stakes in pubs fall outside the proposed duty increase.

Data released alongside the poll shows how these machines contribute to overall gambling tax receipts, and the SMF analysis ties the figures to potential future government income if the rate change takes effect.

Concerns about adult gaming centres targeting deprived areas appear in the polling context, and the SMF presentation links these location patterns to the case for higher taxation on the affected machines.

The proposal receives mention in relation to Andy Burnham's possible role, and coverage of the release notes how such tax measures might form part of broader regulatory approaches if Labour forms the next government.

Those reviewing the material find that the poll captures general public views rather than detailed opinions on implementation timelines or exact revenue uses.

The SMF polling from June 2026 delivers a snapshot of public attitudes toward doubling Machine Games Duty on Category B machines in adult gaming centres and casinos, and the 43% support level sits alongside revenue estimates that range from £275m to £458m in additional annual collections.

The distinction between high-street venues and pub-based machines remains central to the proposal, while connections to deprived area concerns and potential leadership actions by Andy Burnham provide further framing for the data.

Further details on implementation would depend on future government decisions, yet the released figures offer a clear reference point for discussions around this specific tax adjustment in the weeks ahead.