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In an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend, Done cautioned that additional tax hikes could result in widespread betting shop closures, harm related sectors such as horse racing and accelerate the decline of the high street.
Betfred currently operates approximately 1,094 retail shops across the UK. Done highlighted the concrete risks of Machine Gaming Duty – taxes on gambling machines – doubling from 20% to 40%, a move reportedly under consideration by Chancellor John Healey ahead of the Autumn Budget.
Betfred’s retail business still heavily depends on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and in-shop gambling. Despite the maximum stake limit being cut to £2 in 2019, FOBTs account for roughly half of Betfred’s shop profits. Done emphasised that without these machines, retail betting wass “impossible”.
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White Hat Gaming paused the ads during the investigation and argued that HLTV’s audience is primarily adult and focused on professional competitive gaming rather than casual play, which tends to attract minors.
HLTV corroborated this, highlighting its editorial tone as adult-oriented.
The ASA reviewed whether the ads were directed at under-18s through their placement or content. Its rules prohibit advertising through media where more than 25% of the audience is likely to be under 18.
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Thanks to their hosting of the World Cup, numerous cities across the nation have experienced higher visitor volumes this year.
They include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. Austin, Detroit, and New Orleans have also reported higher tourism in 2026.
The record-breaking numbers make clear that Americans haven’t pulled back on travel spending, even amid a challenging economic backdrop. But that demand hasn’t necessarily translated to Las Vegas in 2026, as World Cup host cities absorbed a larger share of domestic trips.
