Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to line items 24 and 25 on p.33 of the Spring Statement, for what reason the levy revenue used is greater than the levy revenue generated.

As set out in the Policy Costings document, published at Spring Statement, the costing is calculated by applying the levy rates to forecasted leviable Gross Gambling Yields for each licence type using data from the Gambling Commission Industry Statistics. This gives the total yield from the Gambling Levy itself; all of which goes directly to the Gambling Commission.

However, the costing also accounts for a behavioural response to the measure whereby the Levy is expected to slightly reduce betting and gaming duty receipts; as is standard, the costing for the Gambling Levy shows the net impact on overall government receipts, including this behavioural adjustment.

Because of this behavioural impact on betting and gaming duty receipts, the total additional funding forecast to be received by the Gambling Commission in the forecast period is slightly larger than the net revenue figure resulting from the announcement of the Gambling Levy.