“The decision to leave MGD at the 20 percent rate for land-based gaming was clearly the right one. Any move upwards would have undermined our business impacting our hard-working venue teams in the towns and cities where we provide employment. 

We make a significant contribution to many regional and local economies and I am delighted the Chancellor’s decision will not lead to more boarded-up shops and that we can continue to support the business supply chain in the areas that we operate. 

However, the significant rise in MGD for the online sector will present enormous challenges for our online brand Blueprint Gaming.

Blueprint Operations can go into January’s EAG with confidence knowing that while their customers still have commercial challenges to overcome, they do not have the burden of a turnover tax that would have made many businesses extremely marginal. 

While this is of undoubted importance, we are all operating against the backdrop of high energy costs, the increases that were announced to the minimum wage and the pressures of running a business in the UK hospitality sector.”