Playtech Reaffirms €300m 2026 EBITDA Target as Americas Offset UK Tax Rise and Brazil Ban
Playtech holds its **€300m** 2026 EBITDA forecast by leaning on US growth with Hard Rock in Florida and its **30.8%** Caliente stake to offset the UK Remote Gaming Duty rise from 21% to 40% and Brazil's online ban. Short-term impacts have been absorbed, but 2027 faces larger effects if the ban endures. Q1 2027 results will clarify the outcome.
SCCG Take — Diversified exposure to US and Latin American regulated markets cushions suppliers against abrupt tax and prohibition moves elsewhere. Resolution of Brazil’s court case and rising PMR competition remain the decisive variables for 2027 earnings stability.
Playtech Plc now expects to close 2026 with adjusted EBITDA of €300m (£270m), above prior analyst consensus. The LSE-listed gambling technology group cited strength in the US, Colombia and Mexico to counter higher UK taxes and the federal online gambling ban in Brazil.
According to reporting by SBC News, Playtech has absorbed the three-month EBITDA impact from the Brazil shutdown and the full effect of the Remote Gaming Duty increase. The company nonetheless flags a more material hit in 2027 if either pressure persists unchanged.
Regulatory Pressures in UK and Brazil
Brazilian President Lula da Silva imposed the online gambling ban, requiring licensed operators to close platforms by 5 October. The Supreme Federal Court continues to deliberate the measure, leaving open the possibility of rejection or congressional amendment. Playtech stated that Q1 2027 results will reflect any full-year withdrawal by clients from the market.
In the UK the Remote Gaming Duty rose from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026. Two more tax hikes are coming into effect on 1 April 2026, however. Playtech has absorbed the initial UK adjustment but noted the first full-year impact will shape 2027 performance.
Americas Performance as Counterweight
The partnership with Hard Rock Digital has driven US revenue growth across H2 2026, led by the Past Motor Racing historical racing slots product offered exclusively on the Hard Rock Bet platform in Florida. Playtech holds a 30.8% equity stake in Mexican operator Caliente, which together with Colombia has benefited from post-FIFA World Cup tailwinds.
“Looking to 2027, we expect performance to reflect growing competition from third-party PMR suppliers in the US, political and regulatory developments in Brazil and the first full-year impact of increased Remote Gaming Duty in the UK,” said Mor Weizer, Playtech’s Chief Executive Officer. Weizer added that the business retains underlying strength and opportunities in regulated markets.
Outlook for Regulatory Resolution
The trajectory of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court decision and the pace of US PMR competition will dictate the scale of 2027 headwinds. Suppliers with concentrated exposure to single jurisdictions face greater earnings volatility than those with diversified regulated-market footprints. Operators should track these markers to calibrate capital allocation and market-entry timing.
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