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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Simon Goodley

Gambling does not cause any ‘social ills’, lobbyist tells incredulous MPs

A person playing fruit machine slots on a laptop.
The gambling industry is lobbying against calls to increase taxes on the sector.
Photograph: Maddie Red Photography/Alamy

The boss of the UK’s main betting and gaming lobby group has told MPs that there is no “social ill with gambling” as she warned against imposing higher taxes on the sector in the November budget.

Grainne Hurst, the chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, repeatedly made the statement to parliament’s Treasury select committee on Tuesday, where she also claimed that higher taxes would result in thousands of job losses and push punters into using hidden market services.

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