UK Operators Register Venues Under Bingo Licences Following Autumn Budget Tax Adjustments

The Autumn Budget delivered on October 28, 2026 introduced an increase in Machine Games Duty from 20% to 25% for slot machines with the change scheduled to take effect in April 2027, while adult gaming centres lost access to business rates relief at the same time, and operators responded by shifting registration details for numerous sites.

Budget Measures Target Land-Based Gaming Revenue

According to the announced policy, the duty hike applies directly to machines in adult gaming centres and similar venues, whereas the removal of rates relief adds further operating costs for those premises classified strictly as AGCs, and records show that certain operators began exploring alternative licensing categories in the weeks after the October announcement. Observers note that the combined effect raises the financial pressure on venues relying on high-stakes Category B3 machines, which remain popular in high-street locations across Britain.

Licensing Categories Create Distinct Regulatory Paths

Bingo licences permit a broader range of gaming activities compared with standard arcade registrations, yet the same Category B3 machines can operate under bingo permissions when the venue meets minimum requirements, and this distinction allows sites to maintain machine operations without falling under the new duty and rates obligations tied specifically to AGC status. Data from Gambling Commission records indicate more than 200 locations now hold bingo licences while functioning primarily as slot-focused arcades with little or no bingo activity taking place on the premises.

Major Operators Adjust Venue Registrations

Merkur and Admiral have moved hundreds of high-street sites into bingo licence categories, a step that positions those venues outside the immediate reach of the April 2027 duty increase and the loss of rates relief, and this approach follows patterns already visible in Gambling Commission licensing data showing a cluster of arcade-style operations registered under bingo permissions. The shift occurs even though many of these locations continue to feature the same bank of machines and layout typical of traditional slot arcades rather than dedicated bingo halls.

Scale of the Licensing Pattern Emerges From Records

Gambling Commission figures list over 200 such sites, most of which operate with minimal bingo tables or sessions and instead concentrate on the high-stakes B3 machines that generate the bulk of revenue, and this concentration has prompted references in reporting to these locations as slot farms despite their formal bingo licence status. The pattern appears concentrated in high-street settings where footfall supports continuous machine play rather than scheduled bingo events.

Regulatory Context and Venue Operations

Category B3 machines carry higher stake and prize limits than lower categories, which makes them central to the revenue model of the affected venues, while bingo licences historically covered mixed-use premises that combined bingo with some gaming machines, and operators have applied this category to sites where bingo activity remains negligible. As of November 2026 the registrations stand in place ahead of the April 2027 implementation date, leaving the venues under the existing duty and rates framework until the new rules activate.

Conclusion

The Autumn Budget changes scheduled for April 2027 have prompted a measurable movement of high-street gaming sites toward bingo licence registrations, with over 200 locations now recorded under that category according to Gambling Commission data, and operators including Merkur and Admiral have utilised this route to maintain operations outside the updated Machine Games Duty and business rates relief framework. The approach relies on existing licensing distinctions that permit Category B3 machines under bingo permissions even when bingo activity itself stays minimal.