Stella David, CEO of Entain, has cautioned that higher betting taxes could force the company to close some Ladbrokes and Coral shops, threatening the future of Britain’s retail betting scene.
In her first major interview since becoming permanent CEO in April, David told The Times that Entain might have to make “difficult decisions” depending on how steep the tax increases are. While acknowledging the gambling industry’s reputation issues, she warned that excessive regulation and taxation could push players toward unlicensed operators, undermining efforts to ensure safer gambling.
Stella David, CEO of Entain, mentioned:
I don’t expect anyone on the street to feel sorry for us at all, that’s not their job. But a normal person on the street who likes to have a bet can’t tell the difference between a black market site and a regulated site.
David noted that licensed retail venues offer natural safeguards, such as face-to-face interactions and fixed operating hours – protections that the online black market lacks. Entain’s Ladbrokes and Coral brands currently operate around 2,300 betting shops across the UK.
Although the government insists no tax increases have been finalized, it recently opened a consultation on merging three existing gambling duties into a single Remote Betting and Gaming Duty. The idea has been met with heavy criticism, especially from the horse racing sector.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats and more than 100 Labour MPs, supported by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have called for significant hikes, including raising online casino tax from 21% to 50%. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) estimates the move could raise £3.2 billion, potentially funding the removal of the two-child benefit cap.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has hinted she’s open to the idea, telling ITV she believes “there’s a case for gambling firms paying more.”
The debate has sparked tensions between the gambling industry and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), which staged a one-day strike in protest of the proposed unified tax rate. Some industry insiders accuse the BHA of backing higher taxes on other verticals in exchange for protecting horse racing’s own interests.
Betting shops, once a staple of the British high street, are already in decline, down 19% since 2020, with just under 6,000 remaining. At the same time, online gambling continues to grow, now attracting more players than in-person betting.
For the first quarter of 2025/26, retail betting revenue fell 5% to £552 million, while online gambling rose 2% to £1.49 billion. The UK government is expected to unveil its autumn budget on November 26, which could determine the next chapter for the nation’s betting industry.
