UK Remote Gaming Duty jumps from 21% to 40%
The Autumn 2025 Budget nearly doubled the tax on online casino and slot revenue, effective 1 April 2026.
What happened
From 1 April 2026, Remote Gaming Duty — the UK tax on the gross gaming revenue of online casino and slot products — rose from 21% to 40%, a change announced in the Autumn Budget 2025 and collected by HMRC. General Betting Duty stays at 15% (remote betting duty is announced to rise to 25% from April 2027), and Bingo Duty was abolished in April 2026.
What it means
RGD is charged on revenue (stakes minus winnings), separately from operating-licence fees and the statutory levy — three distinct charges people often conflate. Nearly doubling the headline rate materially compresses margins for operators weighted towards online gaming; the government framed the rise as harm-reduction rather than revenue-raising.
Who it affects
UK-facing online casino operators — including those licensed in Gibraltar or Malta but serving Great Britain, who pay UK RGD on their GB customers — their finance teams, and analysts modelling operator economics.