UK Gambling Companies to Pay New Tax to Fight Gambling Addiction

The UK government is planning to hit gambling companies with a new tax, Reuters reports. The tax would be a mandatory levy on bookies and casinos, and the money raised would go towards helping people with gambling addiction.

Right now, the UK government taxes online gambling operators 1% of their gross gambling yield, and land-based gambling firms 0.4%.

The new tax would bring in about £100 million ($121.4 million) a year to fund research, prevention, and treatment of gambling addiction.

The government also says that the new tax money will boost the National Health Service (NHS) in England, Scotland, and Wales. The NHS has plans to double the number of clinics for treating gambling addicts.

Currently, UK gambling companies donate money voluntarily to support research and treatment of gambling addiction. But some companies are more generous than others. Some give millions of pounds, while others give only £1. The new levy would make sure that all companies pay their fair share.