Gibraltar steps up its outreach programme and looks at gaming companies away from the UK

Gibraltar is looking further afield than the UK market to attract gaming companies. 

Trade and Industry Minister, Nigel Feetham has accelerated the international outreach programme to open new markets, including through his recent visit to Canada.

Gaming companies on the Rock have felt the impact of last year’s UK budget with the announcement of job losses.

In the UK, companies have also been feeling the effects with some 4,500 jobs reportedly lost in the sector.  In the UK over 540 bookies have shut.

Evoke, which owns William Hill, claims it's forked out £46 million in the first half of 2026.  The company says it's taken decisive action and offset over half of the cost increases through lower market spend  and continued cost-cutting.

Last month Betfred said it would close 132 shops, resulting in 600 job losses.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a major crackdown on adult gaming centres and betting shops with new tougher legislation and further powers to councils . A six-week consultation phase has been implemented.

Betfred however confirmed last week that there would be no impact locally from its shop closures in the U.K.

But all this is only seen as a respite with the impact locally expected to be felt once the additional betting duty comes into effect and profits from local gaming companies decrease towards the end of the year and the next.  This could greatly affect Gibraltar’s corporate tax revenues for 26/27.

Speaking to GBC, Nigel Feetham says he’d made clear to the UK Government that tax increases would have consequences not just for Gibraltar, but for the UK too. He adds we are now seeing those concerns materialise, with the full impact on Gibraltar likely to be felt later in the financial year, particularly in tax receipts.

And as the Rock moves towards absorbing the announcements in last year’s UK budget, it’s bracing itself for the possibility of more.

The Prime Minister is looking for ways to pay for his additional budgetary commitments, and this money is going to have to come from somewhere.  For now Gibraltar has to wait and see whether the British Government intends to again dip into gaming companies for its spending money.