Budget Shifts Lead High Street Gaming Sites to Rely on Bingo Permissions for Rate Relief
Written by Greta Jung · Nov 3, 2026
Budget Shifts Lead High Street Gaming Sites to Rely on Bingo Permissions for Rate Relief
Chancellor John Healey’s recent budget introduced a rise in Machine Games Duty on slot machines from 20% to 25%, while adult gaming centres lost eligibility for certain business rates discounts; observers note that many high-street venues operated by firms such as Merkur and Admiral continue to hold bingo licences that could preserve access to those discounted rates and limit the immediate impact of the changes.
Details of the Duty Increase and Rates Adjustment
The duty hike applies directly to gaming machines, and data from licensing records shows this affects hundreds of sites across the country; at the same time the removal of business rates relief targets adult gaming centres specifically, yet venues that maintain bingo permissions appear positioned to retain relief under existing rules. Researchers tracking the sector point out that the combination of these measures creates a clear distinction between standard adult gaming centres and those operating under dual licences.
Bingo Licence Loophole in Practice
Guardian analysis of UK Gambling Commission records indicates that hundreds of venues exploit this approach by advertising bingo, often through minimal tablet-based offerings, while the primary activity remains slot machine play; companies including Merkur and Admiral operate many of these so-called slot farm locations, and licensing documents confirm the bingo permissions remain active even where bingo activity stays limited. Those who have examined the records note that the presence of any bingo licence can trigger eligibility for the discounted business rates that pure adult gaming centres no longer receive.
Scale of Affected Venues
Records reviewed by the Guardian reveal the pattern spans multiple high-street chains, with the same operators running both fully compliant adult gaming centres and dual-licensed sites in close proximity; figures show that the number of such dual-licensed premises has grown steadily, allowing operators to maintain lower overheads at locations that would otherwise face the full business rates burden after the budget changes. Experts tracking licensing trends add that the minimal bingo component satisfies regulatory thresholds without requiring significant operational shifts at the sites.
Parliamentary and Industry Reactions
MPs and industry figures have raised questions about enforcement consistency, and calls for tighter licensing rules have followed the Guardian findings; according to statements reported in coverage of the budget, some parliamentarians argue that the current framework leaves room for operators to structure operations around bingo permissions without substantial bingo activity taking place. Industry representatives meanwhile highlight that the licences were obtained legally and remain valid under existing Gambling Commission criteria, while data from the same records shows no immediate requirement for increased bingo floor space or staffing.
Regulatory Context and Next Steps
The UK Gambling Commission maintains oversight of all licences mentioned in the analysis, and records indicate that operators must continue to meet basic compliance standards for both bingo and gaming machine activities; observers note that any future tightening of rules would likely require legislative or regulatory updates beyond the budget measures already announced. Those monitoring the sector point to the November 2026 timing of the budget announcement as the point when these distinctions between licence types became more financially significant for high-street operators.
Conclusion
The budget measures have created a clear financial divergence between standard adult gaming centres and those holding bingo permissions, with Guardian analysis of commission records showing hundreds of venues positioned to retain discounted rates through existing licences; companies operating under this model continue to offer slot machines as the main activity while satisfying the minimal requirements tied to bingo permissions, and questions around enforcement remain under discussion among MPs and regulators.