EU Online Gambling Tax Could Raise €13.3bn, Commission Estimates
The EU is considering a 3% tax on online gambling operators that could raise €13.3 billion by 2034, but the proposal faces strong political and industry opposition.
The European Commission estimates that an EU-wide tax on online gambling operators could generate €13.3bn for the bloc between 2028 and 2034, according to media reports citing Commission projections. A 3% levy on operators’ net turnover would raise around €1.9bn annually. The figure gives Brussels a clearer fiscal case for an idea that had so far been driven mainly by political debate.
The gambling levy is being discussed as part of the EU’s search for new “own resources” for the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. The European Parliament has also listed an online gambling levy among possible revenue sources, alongside a digital services levy, crypto-related taxation and an extension of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
The Commission’s projection is lower than earlier estimates tied to the same debate. In February, European Parliament Vice-President Victor Negrescu proposed a 1% levy on online gambling as a possible source of EU funding. Supporters suggested the measure could generate up to €28bn over a budget cycle, compared with the Commission’s current €13.3bn estimate.
Turning the idea into law would be difficult. Gambling taxation remains fragmented across the EU, with member states applying different tax systems, rates and regulatory frameworks. There is no harmonised EU tax base for online gambling and no single definition of the sector across all jurisdictions. Any new EU own resource would also require unanimous approval from all 27 EU governments.
Resistance is expected from both industry stakeholders and some member states. Malta, a major European iGaming hub, is widely expected to oppose an EU-level gambling tax. The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has warned that a bloc-wide levy would be unworkable and could harm licensed operators.
For now, the tax remains a difficult political sell. But the debate itself is significant: online gambling is being discussed not just as a nationally taxed sector, but as a possible EU-level revenue base. For licensed operators, that makes tax policy a strategic risk to watch beyond individual markets.
