Bingo clubs head into the Christmas bonanza season with a tax position that is new to the sector. Since 1 April 2026, in-person bingo has paid no duty at all. Online play went the other way. Remote Gaming Duty almost doubled to 40%, and operators, landlords and investors are still working out what that split means. Here is how the change is playing out across clubs, high streets and phone screens.
What Changed on 1 April
The Autumn Budget 2025 removed the 10% duty on profits from in-person bingo. HM Treasury says around 250 clubs and 7,000 jobs stand to benefit from the move. Remote Gaming Duty rose from 21% to 40% on the same date. That higher rate covers online bingo as well as slots and casino games. A game played in a Tooting club and the same game played on a phone are now taxed very differently.
That gap changes the economics for every bingo brand with an app. Analysts expect licensed operators to trim online bonuses or payouts to absorb the cost. Club prices, by contrast, have room to stay steady. Players notice. Offshore operators also sit outside the UK licensing system, and they are part of the comparison now. Rankings of online bingo sites not on GamStop put game formats, payment methods and licences side by side. Domestic brands compete with that market as well as with each other.
Buzz Bingo Tests Investor Appetite
Investors are paying attention. In October, a Sky News report on the Buzz Bingo sale process said ICG had hired Oakvale Capital. ICG has owned the chain since 2021. The brief is to explore a sale or fresh investment. Buzz trades from more than 75 clubs and employs over 2,000 people. Its revenues rose 11% to £241.4m in its last financial year, with growth in clubs and online. Admissions also climbed, for the first time since the 2007 smoking ban.
Closures and Takeovers on the High Street
The duty cut has not saved every site. Mecca Bingo, run by Rank Group, proposed closing its St Helens and Birkenhead clubs in May 2026. In St Helens, Opera Bingo is set to take over the former Mecca building. For landlords, that is a useful signal. Large leisure units are hard to re-let. A bingo operator willing to inherit the fit-out keeps footfall on the street. The Bingo Association described the duty cut as transformative in a Treasury announcement on scrapping bingo duty published last December.
Rank Counts the Cost of Online Duty
Larger groups feel both sides at once. Rank also owns Grosvenor Casinos, so the online rise lands on several brands together. According to analysis by industry title Next.io, the group faces around £46m in extra remote duty. The scrapped bingo tax offsets roughly £6m of that, leaving a net hit near £40m. That is a hefty swing. The government’s policy paper on changes to gambling duties sets out every rate. Online growth now costs far more to fund than a busy club night.
Clubs Invest in a Younger, Digital Crowd
Operators are spending to win new players. Buzz committed £25m to its clubs, including 10,000 electronic bingo terminals. Self-service kiosks, digital registration and digital membership cards are part of the same plan. The pitch is a sociable night out with food and drink, aimed at groups rather than solo regulars. Retailers will recognise the format. Competitive socialising venues, from crazy golf to darts bars, have filled big units in shopping centres for years.
What It Means for Leisure Retail
For shopping centres and high streets, bingo now looks like one of the better-protected leisure tenants. It pays no duty on club profits. It also keeps a loyal regular crowd and, like retail, peaks in the weeks before Christmas. The risk sits online, where higher tax may push players to shop around for better terms. Anyone who plays, in a club or on a screen, should set a budget first. Free, confidential support is available from GamCare and its helpline on 0808 8020 133.
The Takeaway
Seven months in, the tax shake-up has drawn a clear line between the club and the screen. Clubs have breathing room and, in Buzz’s case, buyer interest. Online bingo carries a heavier bill and a crowded field of rivals. Festive trading is the next test. Operators will soon see which side of that line players choose.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
