Whitehall blunder leaks plan for fees raid on furious gambling industry

Core Viewpoint - Labour's plans to increase gambling licence fees by up to 30% have been leaked, causing significant concern within the industry [1][4]. Group 1: Proposed Fee Increases - The Gambling Commission has proposed a 30% rise in licence fees, with the government also supporting this increase, allocating 10% of the revenue to combat the black market [2][3]. - A 30% increase would result in over £8 million in additional costs for the gambling industry, raising total fees from £26.3 million to just below £35 million [7]. Group 2: Industry Reaction - The gambling sector has expressed anger over the proposed fee increases, especially following substantial tax hikes announced in the November Budget, which included nearly doubling the tax on online casinos from 21% to 40% [4][5][6]. - Industry representatives have warned that these financial burdens could jeopardize 40,000 jobs and drive billions of pounds to the black market, which does not contribute to gambling duties [8].