§ This brings me to the gaming licence duty. It would be premature to undertake any fundamental revision or sweeping increase of this duty while the House is still considering the major changes proposed by the Gaming Bill. At the same time, it would be wrong in the context of the increases in the duties on betting if I were not to ask for some contribution from this form of gambling. I propose, therefore, somewhat to increase the rates of licence duty. The rate for the smallest bingo halls, now £100, will go up to £125, and that for the smallest casinos from £500 to £750. At the other end of the scale, the largest bingo halls will pay £2,000 instead of £1,000 and the largest casinos £75,000 instead of £50,000.
§ Between these extremes I propose to introduce one new step in the duty scale for bingo halls and two additional steps for casinos. Full details are set out in the Financial Statement. These new rates will be payable on all renewals of existing licences, as well as on new licences taken out after today and expiring after 30th September next. The estimate for the effect of all these changes is an increase in the year of the betting and gaming duties for a full year and in 1968–69 by £30 million.