It won’t escape readers that the industry has already happily assented to an effective rise in taxes already this year: with the introduction in April of the statutory levy to raise an annual £100m towards NHS addiction treatments. But for Labour MP Alex Ballinger, this is apparently not good enough.

“It’s a positive move, but it’s just a drop in the ocean,” the Halesowen MP told Politics Home this week. 

And whilst Ballinger is clearly eager to yet further encumber one of the UK high street’s last remaining supportive sectors with punitive taxation measures, he is smart enough to see some nuance in how any potential future tax-hike should be implemented: arguing that a flat gambling rate would unnecessarily punish operators of low-risk products and services. 

“Combining the duties might have unintended consequences, because it would create an even higher incentive for companies to steer people towards the more harmful forms of gambling,” he said, with a level of insight which often escapes many of his parliamentary peers. “Online casinos and slots should keep paying a higher rate of tax than your local bingo hall or bookmakers.”

But then, those bingo clubs and arcades are already being slapped with increased business rate bills.

Ballinger might do well to consider what harm would be caused by the loss of businesses on his constituency high streets and the economic desert that would create, rather than look at policy through the lens of gambling harm.