“We were very pleased that the Government confirmed there will be no increase to Machine Games Duty across all categories,” noted Bacta’s Joseph Cullis. It was a decision that has, he says, opened the door for the industry to move forward without additional fears.
This is exceptionally good news for our sector. In the lead up to the Budget, we made clear to the Treasury at every opportunity that any rise in MGD would have threatened jobs, forced closures and damaged high streets and coastal towns.
Our discussions with Ministers and officials clearly landed, and today’s decision shows that our evidence-based approach has been listened to.
Given the wider tax rises facing other parts of the sector, the decision to freeze MGD is a major endorsement of the case we set out. It protects the stability of our businesses, gives confidence to operators, and avoids the damaging consequences we all feared.
I want to thank members for the support you have shown throughout this campaign, particularly those who wrote to their MPs and provided case studies. It made a real difference.
Bacta will continue working closely with Government on the remaining reforms ahead and will keep pushing for a regulatory and tax environment that allows our sector to grow while maintaining the highest social responsibility standards possible.”
Originally published on Coinslot on December 1, 2025. Republished with permission.