A recent poll conducted by Survation for the campaign group 38 Degrees revealed that a significant majority of voters are in favor of increasing taxes on gambling companies to address child poverty. The survey, involving 8,000 participants, indicated that 64% of respondents support this proposal, as advocated by former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Only 14% of those surveyed expressed opposition to the idea of imposing higher levies on gambling firms to help combat child poverty.
Gordon Brown, who served as Chancellor from 1997 to 2007, emphasized the need to target the substantial profits of gambling companies to potentially generate £3.2 billion. He suggested that these funds could be utilized to eliminate the two-child benefit policy introduced during the Tory era, which has been criticized for contributing to the high number of children living in poverty.
Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, emphasized the public’s desire for major gambling corporations to contribute their fair share and urged action to ensure they fulfill their financial responsibilities. He highlighted the importance of using the revenue generated to abolish the two-child benefit cap, stating that it is an essential step for a government committed to addressing child poverty effectively.
Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK and Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition, stressed the detrimental impact of the two-child limit policy, which pushes 109 children into poverty daily. He emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue to prevent children from enduring hardships like living in inadequate conditions or lacking basic necessities due to financial constraints.
Rachel Reeves, set to deliver the upcoming government Budget on November 26, signaled openness to exploring a potential increase in gambling taxes following Gordon Brown’s proposal. The Chancellor acknowledged ongoing reviews of gambling taxes and indicated that policy decisions regarding this matter would be outlined in the upcoming Budget announcement.
Overall, there is growing support for leveraging taxation on gambling firms to alleviate child poverty, with key figures in politics and advocacy groups echoing the sentiment that addressing this issue is paramount for the well-being of vulnerable children.