Gambling industry launches Summer charm offensive

Gambling lobbyists are staging a summer charm offensive designed to stop ministers from raising taxes on the sector, the Guardian has learned, including meeting Treasury insiders and hosting a darts evening with Labour special advisers and MPs' staff.

- Rob Davies Jessica Elgot

The Treasury is considering whether to simplify the various rates of duty applied to gambling products, a measure that the £11.5bn-a-year sector fears would increase its overall tax bill.

The Betting & Gaming Council (BGC), whose members include high street bookmakers and online casinos, is understood to have outlined its objections in a submission to the Treasury, based on a report written for the trade body by the accounting firm EY.

But the BGC has also embarked on a back-channel lobbying push, according to emails sent to its members and seen by the Guardian. In at least one case, a social event was promoted to Labour staff directly by the Labour Staff Network (LSN), offering them the opportunity to attend and hear speeches.

The event was a darts-themed evening, hosted by BGC and Flutter, the owner of Paddy Power, Betfair and SkyBet, an event the trade body said would help it "continue building constructive engagement across Westminster".