The latest essayGambling policy
Brazil's betting ban is the wrong move: tax and regulate the market
The Verdict Opinion summary
Banning betting is the wrong move: a moderately taxed, regulated market limits harm better and keeps jobs and revenue.
Molina Verdict: Opinion and analysis by Gabriel D. Molina
Latest verdicts
Gambling policy
Britain's 40% duty on online gaming will push more players to the black market
Remote Gaming Duty rose from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026, and the government's own forecasts assume most of it reaches players as worse prices and payouts, with illegal sites named as a destination. Nobody has measured how many players have gone. A medium tax with real enforcement, the route US alcohol and cannabis policy points to, keeps more of them, and more revenue, in the licensed market.
The Verdict Opinion summary
Raising remote gaming duty to 40% will push more players to illegal sites; moderate tax plus real enforcement holds more.
About the author
Gabriel D. MolinaFounder & Editor-in-Chief, Molina Verdict
Opinion and commentary on Molina Verdict. Read the profile.