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The Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun newspaper has launched a full-throttled campaign against higher taxes on gambling in the run up to the Chancellor’s budget.
The paper’s new ‘Save Our Bets’ campaign was given star billing on its front page on Wednesday, demanding of the Chancellor to: “Leave betting alone,” and hitting out at a potential “budget tax grab” that would supposedly “hit thousands of jobs.” The editorial and subsequent raft of articles echo gambling industry talking points that taxes would push “more punters…into the illegal black market.”
On Thursday, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also threw his weight behind the tabloid’s activism, writing in the paper that: “Labour’s pleasure police have ruined pubs and now they’re coming after your innocent flutter…[It’s] time, in the inimitable words of The Sun’s headline, to stick up for your punter” against a mooted “tax blitz.”
The tabloid has also roped in ‘Blue Labour’ peer Lord Maurice Glasman, who claimed to “have a flutter is one of the joys of life, so leave it alone”, while Labour MP Gareth Snell claimed higher taxes could cost Bet365 jobs in his seat, a warning echoed by one of Labour’s most conservative MPs, Graham Stringer.
The Conservatives have also officially backed the campaign, which comes as the Labour Chancellor is trying to find billions to fix public services and create more “fiscal headroom” in the face of economic pressures.
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However, the stories and editorials have almost entirely failed to mention that The Sun is itself a gambling company – making millions of pounds a year from its Sun Vegas and Sun Bingo arms, and therefore stands to lose out financially by any so-called ‘sin taxes’ on the sector.
The paper also has extensive commercial advertising and referral partnerships with companies like Paddy Power, even employing senior, dedicated betting staff to further the relationships.
The paper’s editorial on Tuesday night (28 October) had just one mention of this potential conflict, towards the end of the article, saying: “Both the Social Market Foundation and IPPR think-tanks want a tax rate of 50 PER CENT on online gaming, which includes our own Sun Bingo and Sun Vegas. The current rate is 21 per cent.”
The editorial, and subsequent articles, do not refer to the paper’s extensive advertising and referral deals with other betting firms, including BetFred, which is quoted in the article launching the campaign. The publication has often criticised politicians’ alleged conflicts of interest.
The official page for the ‘Save Our Bets’ campaign is tagged, among other topics, alongside: “Betting offers for horse racing,” “Betting on the go,” and “Bookie offers for football.”
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Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and progressive think tanks like the IPPR are among those calling for the Chancellor to raise taxes on gambling in order to fund public services and reduce social harm caused by gambling addiction.
The Sun’s owner, News Group Newspapers, latest accounts published in March made clear that betting was a commercial priority for the Murdoch titles: “Throughout the year, there has been a strong improvement in the Betting and Gaming division which has helped drive improved revenues.
“Product enhancements and targeted marketing in the Bingo and Vegas proposition have driven strong monthly active users. Following the success of Sun Vegas, The Sun has launched a Fabulous Vegas product during the year, helping to contribute to the overall strong Bingo & Vegas performance.”
The Sun has its own Betting and Gaming Sales Director and in July owner News UK boasted of its “partnerships” with “Unibet and Paddy Power.”
