Dawn Butler Appointed Vice Chair of Gambling Reform APPG as Pressure Mounts for Machine Games Duty Increase

Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent East, has been appointed Vice Chair of the Gambling Reform All-Party Parliamentary Group (GR APPG). Butler has been a leading voice for greater government intervention in the UK gambling sector, with emphasis on player protection and retail gaming. She played an instrumental role in lobbying against the ‘Aim to Permit’ rule, later scrapped by Prime Minister Andy Burnham to give local authorities more control over land-based venue licensing.

The APPG welcomed the move with a statement: “We are delighted to have Dawn take on this new role and look forward to continuing our work together to deliver stronger protections for individuals, families and communities across the UK.”

The appointment comes as the group steps up pressure on the government. Co-Chair Alex Ballinger MP wrote a letter co-signed by 90 Labour MPs urging Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey to raise the Machine Games Duty (MGD) with next week’s Budget. The central case is that revenues must rise to tackle the social impact of gambling harms. The sector has incorporated safer play measures yet maintains that taxes beyond those introduced in 2025 will damage employees and the high street economy, according to reporting by SBC News.

Industry Campaign Against Further Tax Rises

Betting operators and the Betting and Gaming Council have intensified efforts to oppose an MGD increase. Entain, owner of Coral and Ladbrokes, published a YouGov study based on a survey of 1,475 UK adults. It found that 90% of betting shop customers combine visits with spending elsewhere, 54% do so on most or nearly every occasion, and 68% regard betting shops as a key high street component.

Bejay Patel, Managing Director UK and Ireland for Entain Group, said: “This research confirms what our hard-working colleagues know to be true – betting shops are a cornerstone of every high street and provide a boost to local business. We need to recognise the important contribution betting shops make to our economy and local communities alike.” The study supports Entain’s ‘What’s at Stake’ campaign, which warns that additional taxes risk further shop closures and job losses already seen after last year’s Budget.

High Street Economy at Risk

Butler’s elevation adds weight to reform calls at a pivotal moment before the Budget, where John Healey is reportedly looking to cap MGD at 25%. The documented tension between addressing gambling harms through higher duties and the documented threat to retail jobs and local economies leaves operators facing clear countervailing pressures. How policymakers reconcile these positions will shape the immediate operating environment for high street betting.

Reporting: SBC News

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