Find Out Now ran a nationally representative survey (by age, gender, region and 2024 GE) of 2,000 GB adults on the 22-23rd September about gambling. Data tables can be found here

Headline summary

• Only 5% say “Betting shops are generally good for high streets”
• And the public are more likely to say that the goverment should discourage gambling (even if causes shop closures) than they are to say “The government should generally allow gambling businesses to operate, provided they follow appropriate rules and regulation”
• But they also 2-1 agree with Fred Done that “our customers are not high-rollers or heavy gamblers; they are working people who enjoy a bet”
• On proposal to increase MGT (Machine Games Duty), after explaining both sides, the public support it almost 2 to 1 (37% to 21%)
  • Notably, very clear majority of Labour voters support it. Only parties with high opposition are Reform and Conservatives. But even they are evenly split
• Similarly, when asked “If increasing taxes on gambling meant that some betting shops closed permanently” the public 2 to 1 (42% to 21%) said this would be a price worth paying

Full results

Q1. Thinking specifically about betting shops on Britain’s high streets, which of the following comes closest to your view?

• Betting shops are generally good for high streets (5%)
• Betting shops are generally bad for high streets (35%)
• They are neither particularly good nor bad for high streets (33%)
• Don’t know (27%)

Q2. The government is reportedly considering increasing ‘Machine Games Duty’, a tax on gaming machines in places such as betting shops. The main rate is currently 20%, and one proposal is to increase it to 40%.

Supporters of the increase say it could raise hundreds of millions a year for the government. Opponents say it may actually lose money, due to betting shops having to close and jobs being lost.

On the whole, do you support or oppose the proposal to increase Machine Games Duty from 20% to 40%?

• Support (37%)
• Oppose (21%)
• Don’t know (43%)

Q3. If increasing taxes on gambling meant that some betting shops closed permanently, which of the following comes closest to your view?

• This is a price worth paying (42%)
• This is not a price worth paying (21%)
• Don’t know (37%)

Q4. Betfred has said that if taxes on gambling increase, it may end its sponsorship of major sports and sporting events, including rugby league and the five Classics in British horse racing – the Derby, the Oaks, the 1,000 Guineas, the 2,000 Guineas and the St Leger.

If the tax increase meant Betfred no longer sponsored these sports and events, which of the following comes closest to your view?

• This is a price worth paying (39%)
• This is not a price worth paying (22%)
• Don’t know (39%)

Q5. Fred Done, the founder of Betfred, has said that “our customers are not high-rollers or heavy gamblers; they are working people who enjoy a bet”.

Do you think this is an accurate description of most betting shop customers?

• This is broadly an accurate description (38%)
• This is not an accurate description (20%)
• Don’t know (43%)

Q6. Which of the following comes closest to your view?

• The government should generally discourage gambling, even if this means fewer betting shops and gambling businesses (38%)
• The government should generally allow gambling businesses to operate, provided they follow appropriate rules and regulations (33%)
• Don’t know (29%)