Farage visits Gibraltar amid fears over UK gambling tax rise

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, travelled to Gibraltar for talks with senior officials over the potential impact of a UK gambling tax rise on operators based in the territory, according to SBC News.

Gibraltar's gambling sector is closely tied to the UK market, hosting some of the largest operators active there, including Entain, bet365, evoke, Kindred Group and LiveScore Group. That link gives the territory a direct stake in decisions taken at Westminster on gambling taxation.

Operators have spent recent months lobbying against a further increase in Machine Games Duty, which currently stands at 20%. Firms are already absorbing the effects of tax rises introduced in 2025, which have squeezed revenues.

Reports on how far Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey intends to raise the duty have varied widely. Some estimates point to a doubling of the rate to 40%, while others suggest a smaller increase of around 5%. The scale of any change will not be confirmed until the Budget on 28 October.

Industry estimates cited by SBC News warn that a significant increase would hit betting shops, Adult Gaming Centres and bingo halls hard, with the potential loss of thousands of jobs and the closure of hundreds of venues across the UK.

Higher costs for operators in the UK market could feed through to Gibraltar, where the same companies run substantial operations. A squeeze on margins there raises the prospect of job losses and site closures mirroring those feared in the UK.

Farage has positioned himself as a vocal supporter of the gambling industry's position, echoing arguments that further tax rises would damage the wider UK economy.

Nigel Feetham, Gibraltar's Trade and Industry Minister, has been engaging UK political parties and business figures in the run-up to the Budget to press the territory's case. Last week he joined a breakfast meeting in London attended by operator chief executives and political figures to discuss the tax debate.

Feetham said he had been "making the case across the political spectrum to ensure that the potential consequences of further gambling tax increases for Gibraltar are fully understood."

He added: "I have a responsibility to ensure that Gibraltar's interests are represented and that our message is heard loud and clear by all political parties."

Farage's visit marks the latest instance of a UK political figure being drawn into Gibraltar's lobbying effort as the territory seeks to shape the outcome of a Budget decision that could reshape the economics of its gambling sector.