Law

Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981

United Kingdom · statute

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Open at the publisher →

In force since 2026-04-01, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 85 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 The duty
  3. 2 Bookmakers: general bets
  4. 3 Bookmakers: spread bets
  5. 4 Pool betting on horse and dog races
  6. 5 Net stake receipts
  7. 5AA Relief for losses
  8. 5AB Betting exchanges
  9. 5A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  10. 5B Liability to pay
  11. 5C Bet-brokers
  12. 5D Accounting period
  13. 5E Double taxation relief
  14. 6 The duty
  15. 7 Duty charged on net pool betting receipts
  16. 7ZA Relief for losses
  17. 7A Calculating net pool betting receipts
  18. 7B Net pool betting receipts: meaning of “dutiable pool bet”
  19. 7C Net pool betting receipts: calculating stake money
  20. 7D Net pool betting receipts: when stakes etc fall due
  21. 7E Net pool betting receipts: expenses and profits
  22. 7F Net pool betting receipts: calculating winnings
  23. 8 Payment and recovery
  24. 8ZA Double taxation relief
  25. 8A Meaning of “bet made for community benefit" in sections 6 to 8
  26. 8B Meaning of “accounting period" in sections 6 to 8
  27. 8C Meaning of “bet" in sections 6 to 8A
  28. 9 Prohibitions for protection of revenue.
  29. 9A Further prohibitions for protection of revenue: overseas bet-brokers
  30. 9B Offences under sections 9 and 9A: penalties
  31. 10 Definition of pool betting.
  32. 10A Definition of qualifying foreign tax
  33. 11 Definition of coupon betting.
  34. 12 Supplementary provisions.
  35. 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  36. 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  37. 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  38. 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  39. 17 Bingo duty
  40. 18 Accounting period
  41. 19 Bingo receipts
  42. 20 Expenditure on bingo winnings
  43. 20A Combined bingo
  44. 20B Carrying losses forward
  45. 20C Supplementary
  46. 21 Gaming machine licence duty.
  47. 21A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  48. 22 Gaming machine licence duty.
  49. 23 Amount of duty.
  50. 24 Restrictions on provision of gaming machines.
  51. 24A Unlicensed machines: duty chargeable.
  52. 25 Meaning of “gaming machine”.
  53. 25A Power to modify definition of “amusement machine”.
  54. 26 Supplementary provisions as to gaming machine licence duty.
  55. 26A Interpretation
  56. 26B The duty
  57. 26C The rate
  58. 26D Accounting periods
  59. 26E Remote gaming receipts
  60. 26F Remote gaming winnings
  61. 26G Losses
  62. 26H Exemptions
  63. 26I Liability to pay
  64. 26IA Double taxation relief
  65. 26IB Definition of qualifying foreign tax
  66. 26IC Regulations about claims for double taxation relief
  67. 26J Registration
  68. 26K Returns
  69. 26L Enforcement
  70. 26M Review and appeal
  71. 26N Amounts in currencies other than sterling
  72. 27 Offences by bodies corporate.
  73. 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  74. 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  75. 29A Evidence by certificate, etc.
  76. 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  77. 31 Protection of officers.
  78. 32 Orders and regulations.
  79. 32A Application to limited liability partnerships
  80. 33 Interpretation.
  81. 34 Consequential and transitional provisions and repeals.
  82. 35 Short title, construction, commencement and extent.
  83. SCHEDULE 5 Consequential Amendments
  84. SCHEDULE 6 Transitional Provisions and Savings
  85. SCHEDULE 7 Repeals

Proposed changes to this act

No one has proposed a change to this act yet.

85 provisions

Title and introductory text

Betting and Gaming Duties Act 1981 1981 c. 63 An Act to consolidate certain enactments concerning the duties of excise relating to betting and gaming. [30th October 1981]

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1 The duty

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2 Bookmakers: general bets

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3 Bookmakers: spread bets

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4 Pool betting on horse and dog races

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5 Net stake receipts

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5AA Relief for losses

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5AB Betting exchanges

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5A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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5B Liability to pay

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5C Bet-brokers

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5D Accounting period

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5E Double taxation relief

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6 The duty

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7 Duty charged on net pool betting receipts

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7ZA Relief for losses

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7A Calculating net pool betting receipts

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7B Net pool betting receipts: meaning of “dutiable pool bet”

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7C Net pool betting receipts: calculating stake money

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7D Net pool betting receipts: when stakes etc fall due

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7E Net pool betting receipts: expenses and profits

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7F Net pool betting receipts: calculating winnings

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8 Payment and recovery

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8ZA Double taxation relief

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8A Meaning of “bet made for community benefit" in sections 6 to 8

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8B Meaning of “accounting period" in sections 6 to 8

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8C Meaning of “bet" in sections 6 to 8A

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9 Prohibitions for protection of revenue.

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9A Further prohibitions for protection of revenue: overseas bet-brokers

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9B Offences under sections 9 and 9A: penalties

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10 Definition of pool betting.

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10A Definition of qualifying foreign tax

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11 Definition of coupon betting.

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12 Supplementary provisions.

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13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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17 Bingo duty

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18 Accounting period

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