Genting UK CEO Highlights Risks to Casino Operations from Machine Games Duty Proposal
Parker Lang · Oct 5, 2026
Genting UK CEO Highlights Risks to Casino Operations from Machine Games Duty Proposal
Paul Willcock, chief executive of Genting UK, has warned that doubling the machine games duty on slot machines and fixed-odds betting terminals from 20% to 40% would push 13 of the company's 32 UK casino venues into unprofitability or unsustainability, resulting in closures and around 900 jobs at risk.
This development comes ahead of Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget scheduled for October 28, with the tax adjustment under consideration by government officials.
Details of the Genting UK Warning
Willcock communicated these concerns directly to Treasury and Department for Culture, Media and Sport officials, noting that the higher rate would affect sites disproportionately in less affluent northern and midlands towns where many Genting venues operate. The proposal targets electronic gaming machines, which form a core revenue stream for physical casinos across the country.
Operators have outlined specific venue impacts, with the increased duty applied uniformly regardless of location or footfall patterns. Data from the company shows that current margins at affected sites leave little room for additional taxation before operational viability declines sharply.
Parallel Warning from Rank Group
Rank Group, which owns Grosvenor Casinos, issued a comparable alert in recent weeks regarding its own portfolio. teh company indicated that up to 16 of its 47 UK venues could face closure under the same duty increase, placing approximately 1,800 jobs in jeopardy. Both operators have submitted detailed assessments to government departments, highlighting overlapping regional concentrations in areas already experiencing economic pressures.
These submissions arrive as part of broader industry consultations before the October 28 Budget date, when fiscal decisions for the coming year receive formal announcement. The machine games duty applies to gaming terminals in licensed premises, and the proposed doubling represents a significant shift from the existing 20% rate established in prior legislation.
Regional and Economic Context
Both Genting UK and Rank Group point to geographic factors in their submissions, with northern and midlands locations showing higher vulnerability due to lower average revenues per terminal. Officials at the Treasury and DCMS have received venue-by-venue breakdowns that map potential closures against local employment data.
The combined figures from the two groups total up to 29 venues at risk and nearly 2,700 positions, though each company calculated impacts independently based on its own operational metrics. Government records confirm receipt of these briefings as part of standard pre-Budget stakeholder engagement.
Timeline Leading to October 28 Budget
Discussions around the machine games duty adjustment began earlier in 2026, with initial proposals referenced in July documents circulated among gaming regulators and finance teams. The October 28 date marks the point at which Chancellor Healey will present the full fiscal package, including any confirmed changes to gaming taxation. Casino operators continue to supply additional modeling to departments as the deadline approaches.
Operational Implications for UK Casinos
Fixed-odds terminals and slot machines account for a substantial portion of revenue at many UK casino sites, particularly outside central London. An increase to 40% duty would require operators to reassess staffing levels, opening hours, and service offerings at remaining locations if closures proceed. Genting UK and Rank Group have both indicated that affected venues would undergo formal review processes once the Budget outcome becomes clear.
Industry statistics maintained by the Gambling Commission track machine numbers and duty contributions separately from online sectors, providing baseline figures against which the proposed change can be measured. The current structure has remained in place since adjustments made in previous fiscal years, and the doubling would align machine games duty more closely with certain other betting taxes.
Conclusion
The warnings from Genting UK and Rank Group supply concrete figures on venue counts, job impacts, and regional distributions ahead of the October 28 Budget. Treasury and DCMS officials now hold these assessments as they finalize taxation proposals for electronic gaming machines in licensed casino premises.