Business
Betfred says all its shops may close if Reeves hikes gambling tax
All 1,287 Betfred shops could disappear from the UK High Street if Chancellor Rachel Reeves hikes taxes on gambling firms, the company’s co-founder and chairman has told the BBC.
Fred Done, who set up Betfred in 1967 with his brother, said a closure of that size would put 7,500 jobs at risk.
The billionaire businessman said tax rises were the “biggest threat” to the industry in his 57 years. It echoes similar warnings from other gambling brands.
Increasing taxes on betting firms in the Budget has been suggested to the chancellor. She recently told ITV: “I do think there is a case for gambling firms paying more… they should pay their fair share of taxes and we will make sure that happens.”
Reeves has been encouraged by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to increase taxes on the gambling sector and use the revenue from that to reduce child poverty.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank estimated over the summer that additional taxes on the industry, as high as 50%, could raise £3.2bn.
At the time the Betting and Gaming Council, which represents gambling companies, called Brown’s plan “economically reckless”, saying it would push gamblers into the black market.
Betting companies have resisted calls for taxes to rise. Up to 200 William Hill retail outlets could close if the industry faces higher taxes, its owner Evoke said earlier this month.
Betfred’s Mr Done said that if taxes on UK gambling companies increased he would also feel compelled to close his High Street shops.
“It [tax] doesn’t even need to go up to 50%. If it went up to anywhere like 40% or even 35% there is no profit in the business. We would have to close it down. I’m talking job losses. We’re talking probably 7,500,” he said.
He said 300 of his shops were “currently losing money” and claimed a 5% increase on gambling taxes would raise that number to 430.
“Once the [UK] industry is closed down, it’s gone. People will still bet, but they’ll bet offshore with it. There’s plenty of bookmakers offshore who happen to take the bets, who don’t pay anything to this country,” he said.
Punters’ winnings from gambling are not taxed in the UK, nor is VAT charged on bets. However, the gambling industry pays extra taxes, including:
- a tax of 21% on online casino gaming stakes
- duty of 20% on slots and gaming machines
- general betting duty on sports fixtures of 15%
- general betting duty on horseracing of 15%
Mr Done said recent increases in employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and the minimum wage had already added £20m to his company’s costs.
He agreed that, like with banking or buying clothes, customers are increasingly going online, making it inevitable to close betting shops.
Rival firm Paddy Power on Thursday said it would close 57 shops across the UK and Republic of Ireland, citing increasing cost pressures and challenging market conditions.
“Slowly it will go online, but we’re talking, without tax increases, we’ve still got probably 20 years of life on the High Street,” said Mr Done.
“And you know, the UK High Street is being decimated with closures.”
In its most recent annual results, Betfred took in nearly £1bn of revenue, but made an operating profit of just £500,000 after a series of writedowns on its assets.
The family-owned company has bases in the UK, Gibraltar, the US and South Africa, with investment in both online gambling and High Street sports betting.
Critics point to the social and financial harm caused by gambling. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities research from 2023 estimated the excess costs of harmful gambling to be between £1bn and £1.77bn.
Prof Ashwin Kumar, director of research and policy at the IPPR, said higher taxes were needed on the industry, particularly for online betting, to reflect the negative consequences gambling has on some people.
“We know that most of the profits made by gambling companies come from a very small number of gamblers, many of whom are at risk of serious harm. And so we think that the duties should be higher, just like tobacco and alcohol.”
Charity GambleAware, which supports people with gambling addiction, said “further regulation” was needed on advertising to help protect children and young people, as well as to raise awareness about the risks.
But Mr Done argues that UK-based, High Street betting shops provide better safeguards for people with gambling problems, as well as tax revenues, than online and offshore rivals.
As to whether he thinks his appeal to keep taxes as they are will win over the chancellor, Mr Done said “we’re 10 to one against”, which suggests it’s odds on that many betting shops will close.
A HM Treasury spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation around future changes to tax policy.”
Netflix has significantly increased its all-cash offer to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s studio and streaming business, intensifying an ongoing takeover battle with rival Paramount Skydance.
The revised bid aims to secure Warner Bros’ extensive film and television library, alongside its premium HBO Max streaming service, in a move that could reshape the entertainment landscape.
In December, Netflix agreed to pay $23.25 in cash, $4.50 (£3.35) worth of Netflix stock per share to buy Warner Bros assets.
The deal valued the business at around $82.7bn (£61.5 bn). However, shares in Netflix have dropped by almost 15 per cent since the deal was first announced.
The US-based streaming giant has said it will now offer $27.75 (£20.64) per share in cash to buy the business, which will include Warner Bros’ extensive library of film and TV rights, as well as its HBO Max streaming service.
Analysts have said the new terms are favourable for investors in Warner Bros Discovery.
Despite the improved financial terms, Warner Bros Discovery continues to back Netflix over a competing bid from Paramount Skydance.
The rival studios and media giant had put forward an offer of $30 per share in cash, but crucially, this was for the entire Warner Bros Discovery company, rather than just its studio and streaming divisions, highlighting a key difference in the acquisition strategies.
David Zaslav, president and chief executive of Warner Bros Discovery, expressed his enthusiasm for the impending merger.
He stated: “Today’s revised merger agreement brings us even closer to combining two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world and with it even more people enjoying the entertainment they love to watch the most. By coming together with Netflix, we will combine the stories Warner Bros has told that have captured the world’s attention for more than a century and ensure audiences continue to enjoy them for generations to come.”
Greg Peters, Netflix’s co-chief executive, underscored the strategic and financial benefits of the amended agreement.
He commented: “By amending our agreement today, we are underscoring what we have believed all along: not only does our transaction provide superior stockholder value, it is also fundamentally pro-consumer, pro-innovation, pro-creator and pro-growth. Our revised all-cash agreement demonstrates our commitment to the transaction with Warner Bros and provides WBD stockholders with an accelerated process and the financial certainty of cash consideration, while maintaining our commitment to a healthy balance sheet and our solid investment grade ratings.”
The agreed deal is contingent on Warner Bros Discovery completing a proposed spin-off of its cable channels, which include CNN, TBS, and TNT Sports in the UK.
Last Updated:
India’s Index of Eight Core Industries rose 3.7 percent in December 2025, led by cement and steel growth, while oil and gas output declined.
Infrastructure-Linked Sectors Push Core Index Higher in December
India’s core industrial sectors showed stronger momentum in December 2025, with the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) rising 3.7 per cent year-on-year, according to provisional government data. This marks an improvement from November’s final growth rate of 2.1 per cent, signalling a mild recovery in key production segments.
The eight core industries together account for 40.27 per cent of the weight of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), making them a crucial indicator of overall industrial health.
Cement, Steel Lead the Growth
Cement and steel emerged as the strongest performers in December. Cement production jumped 13.5 per cent, reflecting steady demand from infrastructure and construction activity. Steel output also remained robust, rising 6.9 per cent during the month.
Electricity generation increased by 5.3 per cent, pointing to sustained power demand from industry and households. Fertilizer production grew 4.1 per cent, offering support to the agricultural sector, while coal output rose 3.6 per cent, helping ease supply pressures.
Oil and Gas Remain a Weak Spot
In contrast, the oil and gas segments continued to struggle. Crude oil production declined by 5.6 per cent, while natural gas output fell 4.4 per cent in December compared to the same month last year. Petroleum refinery production also slipped 1.0 per cent, highlighting ongoing operational and supply-side challenges in the energy sector.
Cumulative Growth Still Modest
For the April–December 2025-26 period, the cumulative growth of the core industries stood at 2.6 per cent, slightly muted despite strong gains in cement and steel. Steel recorded a sharp 9.5 per cent cumulative growth, while cement rose 8.8 per cent.
However, coal, crude oil, and natural gas saw cumulative declines, which weighed on the overall index.
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January 20, 2026, 18:31 IST
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Kevin PeacheyCost of living correspondent
Getty ImagesUK toy sales have risen for the first time in five years, but sellers are braced for the potential impact of any social media ban for under-16s.
The value of toy sales rose by 6% last year, compared with the previous year, according to research company Circana, bringing some much-needed cheer for a sector that has struggled since the pandemic.
The rebound has been driven by the so-called kidult market – which relates to players over the age of 12, some of whom are influenced by trends on social media.
But experts gathered at the annual Toy Fair in London on Tuesday said that films, video games and playground chat could still help push further growth in 2026.
Cost of living pressures have loomed over families in recent years, although spending on children – particularly at Christmas – has remained a priority for many.
Covid lockdowns brought a boost to the sector when toys and games became central to keeping children and adults entertained at home.
Sales dipped since then, until last year when the number of toys sold rose by 1% compared with 2024, according to Circana.
With kidults spending more, the value of sales rose by 6% – the first increase since 2020, according to Circana. It valued the UK market at £3.9bn last year.
Melissa Symonds, executive director of UK toys at Circana, described last year as a “clear turning point” for the sector.
Cinema, streaming, video game and sport tie-ins – such as Minecraft and Formula 1 – all proved successful.
Symonds said that excluding the unusual circumstances of the pandemic, last year recorded the first organic growth since 2016.
Social media trends
Kidults accounted for 17% of the toy market in 2016, but this had risen to 30% by last year.
Building sets, predominantly Lego, has appealed to adults, but trends amplified on social media have also led to a 12% growth in collectibles across generations. Pokémon, K-Pop Demon Hunters, and Hello Kitty have all proved to be “market-moving trends”, according to Circana.
Symonds said the industry would be considering the impact of the social media ban for under-16s in Australia, and the potential for a similar ban in the UK.
She said manufacturers and retailers may need to reconsider how some of these toys were marketed if bans were brought in more widely.
Kerri Atherton, from the British Toy and Hobby Association – which is hosting its annual trade fair at London’s Olympia, said it was still too early to know what the fallout would be.
She described 2025 as a pivotal moment for the UK toy sector, but said businesses and consumers still faced financial challenges going into 2026.
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