Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Grainne Hurst said attending Reform UK’s annual bash allowed her to lobby on behalf of a trade facing down the potential biggest increase to its tax burden for a generation.

The gambling industry made its presence known amongst the membership of the UK’s ascendant political movement this weekend, with Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Grainne Hurst attending Reform UK’s annual Conference in Birmingham. 

Whilst stopping short of any official endorsement or political statement, Hurst did make a point of posing for a picture with party leader Nigel Farage, which was subsequently posted to the trade body’s various socials.

In a public statement on LinkedIn, Hurst said it had been “a pleasure” to attend the event, at which she had engaged in “constructive discussions with senior figures in the party, including Reform Party deputy leader Richard Tice MP and leader Nigel Farage MP.”

Hurst added that she had made a point to underline to both men the “the importance of a strong, sustainable, and well-regulated betting and gaming sector,” as well the risks posed to the industry by the potential tax hike on GGR supposedly under consideration by the government. 

Farage likely didn’t take much convincing for Hurst to win over: having already proved himself to be something of an industry ally.

Just last month, whilst in attendance at Glorious Goodwood, he went on the record to say he would “certainly be fighting” any increase to betting and gaming duties. 

“I think there’s also an ignorance here…an assumption from members of parliament that all gambling is bad [and] leads to ruin,” he said. “What they’re proposing will do the most enormous amount of damage.” 

A road to ruin

Nigel Farage said……. “I think there’s also an ignorance here…an assumption from members of parliament that all gambling is bad [and] leads to ruin. What they’re proposing will do the most enormous amount of damage……