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Date published: January 15, 2026
The UK’s 2025 Budget has shaken things up for online gambling in a big way. Taxes are going up, the rules are being reorganised, and the changes are set to impact everyone from major operators to people who just place the occasional bet.
If you’re trying to figure out what’s changing and what it means for players, we’ve broken it all down below in a clear, straightforward way.
Let’s start with the big changes announced in the Budget:
In short, online gambling gets pricier to run. Land-based gambling, especially old-school bingo, is a rar winner following the budget.
The online gambling market has exploded over the last few years. More players, more spending, and bigger profits for online operators.
While land-based betting isn’t taking much of a hit, online gambling, especially in the casino sector, operates at lower costs and so often has a higher profit margin. That, along with online betting being associated more with problem gambling, has resulted in the decision to impose a higher tax on profits.
Although players will most certainly feel the hit of the proposed tax rises in the new UK budget, here’s how it will impact the operators and the steps they will likely take to retain profits.
Jumping from a 21% tax to 40% almost doubles costs for online casinos. Operators that are reliant on slots and online casino games are going to take a bit hit.
Online casinos often have several promotions running at any one time such as:
Operators could be forced to cut the number of promotions that the offer in order to protect their profits.
Another reason players may be presented with fewer offers going forward is that the UK Gambling Commission is enforcing maximum wagering requirements on casino bonuses to x10 from 19th January 2026. This means that online casinos will no longer be able to offer bonuses with x20, x50, or anything above x10 wagering, which UK players have grown accustomed to such as with no deposit free spin offers.
The smaller online casinos, especially those without big corporate backing, might simply decide the UK isn’t worth the operational cost anymore. We could see big brands absorbing the smaller ones, and an overall decrease of brands available to UK players.
The UK is already a very competitive market for gambling operators and the new tax rise could be the tipping point for many to decide it’s just not worth it.
Games with low house margins or expensive licensing deals may be phased out. Expect more in-house games, and fewer branded ones.
This is the part that matters most to the everyday gambler. Here’s the real-world impact you’ll likely notice:
Bad news for bonus hunters as it’s almost certain the number of them, and the value of them, will decline as operators make cuts to survive and retain some profits.
A subtle way operators could compensate for tax rises is by adjusting the odds or RTP (Return to Player). Even if this shift seems tiny, it adds up over time and can bring in additional revenue for the casinos.
Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is a personal preference. There are hundreds of UK-licenced online casinos these days, but that number will start to drop given the smaller profit margin available to them. There will be less choice for players but this will result in less competition for the ones that remain which could be a positive in terms of what they can offer their players.
Less choice, fewer casino bonuses, and continued restrictions on UK-licenced casinos may push some gamblers toward the grey market. At these sites, players are less-restricted in terms of stake limits, bonus buys, and the bonuses that they are offered, but it’s also riskier, with no consumer protections and no safer-gambling oversight.
While online operators take the main hit, brick-and-mortar betting shops and bingo halls may come out on top.
This Budget quietly nudges people back toward physical venues which is a reversal of the trend over the last decade.
The government aims to raise money from fast-growing online sectors without slamming the everyday bettor at the local bingo hall or betting shop.
Over £1 billion per year is expected in new revenue, with that money coming from the online casino sector.
But the long-term impact isn’t guaranteed. If too many players jump to unregulated websites, the UK could actually see a drop in taxable gambling activity.
There’s no doubt that the new budget will have a major impact on the online gambling sector with many changes for both operators and players ahead.
What remains to be seen is whether these policies push the industry into a healthier, safer state or simply send players drifting toward the unregulated world of offshore betting.
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