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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Genting UK has warned that 13 of its 32 venues could become “unprofitable or unsustainable” if a reported increase in Machine Games Duty goes ahead. That is a conditional warning, not confirmation that any of the venues will close. AOL also reports a similar warning from Rank Group. The operators have not identified the specific sites they say could be affected.
What did Genting UK warn?
Genting UK chief executive Paul Willcock told AOL that 13 of the company’s 32 venues could be unprofitable or unsustainable under a reported proposal to raise Machine Games Duty (MGD). AOL reported that 900 roles could potentially be at risk. These figures describe the company’s warning as reported by AOL; they are not independently verified closure or job-loss totals.
The report does not name the venues at risk. It also does not establish that Genting has begun a closure programme: the warning depends on a proposed tax change going ahead.
How does the Rank Group warning compare?
AOL reports that Rank Group warned that up to 16 of its 47 venues and 1,800 jobs could be at risk under the proposal. Rank described the proposals as “economically incoherent”. As with Genting’s figures, these are claims reported by AOL, not independently corroborated forecasts.
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| Operator | Venues potentially affected | Jobs potentially affected | Estimated additional duty | Prior-year post-tax profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genting UK, as reported by AOL | 13 of 32 | 900 | £16 million | £13.5 million |
| Rank Group, as reported by AOL | Up to 16 of 47 | 1,800 | £35 million | £28.9 million |
The duty and profit amounts are estimates and prior-year results reported by AOL from the operators; they should not be read as independently audited projections of what a tax change would cost or cause.
What tax increase is being discussed?
AOL describes a possible rise in the standard MGD rate from 20% to 40%. The 40% figure is a reported proposal, not the published MGD rate in HM Revenue & Customs’ 2026–27 guidance. HMRC lists rates by machine type:
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| Machine type | Published MGD rate for 2026–27 | HMRC description |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 5% | Type 1 category |
| Type 2 | 20% | A machine that is not Type 1 and costs no more than £5 to play |
| Type 3 | 25% | A machine that does not qualify as Type 1 or Type 2 |
MGD applies to net takings from dutiable machine games. The Social Market Foundation has argued publicly for higher MGD on Category B machines, but that advocacy does not mean the government has adopted the proposal.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will Genting close more than one in three sites?
Not on the evidence in the report. Thirteen of 32 is more than one in three, but Genting described those venues as potentially unprofitable or unsustainable if the reported proposal proceeds. The report does not say which venues they are, and it does not confirm that any have closed or will close.
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Sources and what they establish
- AOL’s October 3, 2026 report attributes the venue, job, duty-cost and profit figures, along with the operators’ comments, to Genting UK and Rank Group.
- HMRC’s MGD rates guidance gives the published 2026–27 rates and descriptions of the machine categories.
- HMRC’s Excise Notice 452 explains Machine Games Duty and its application to dutiable machine games.
- The Social Market Foundation’s paper on gambling taxation sets out an argument for raising MGD on Category B machines; it is evidence of a policy argument, not of an adopted government decision.
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