In Dublin, the Irish Presidency decided against a proposed review for a common tax on online gambling as part of the European Union (EU) budget 2028-2034.
Ireland took the role of chief negotiator of Budget 2028-2034 this July. EU member states are due to settle terms on a minimum €2trn (£1.7bn) plan to fund the blocs economic programme and new cycle of projects and directives.
The budget will see the EU transform to a new economic plan prioritising spending on defence, energy security, tech innovation and the generational re-skilling of the European workforce.
No gambling tax in first draft
Ireland’s draft plan proposes a €1.62trn spending ceiling in constant 2025 prices, equivalent to approximately €1.85trn in current prices. Of significance, the figures remain subject to agreement and do not represent guaranteed contributions from all 27 member states.
As it stands, the budget contains no proposal on the application of a common EU levy on online gambling income. The measure was originally proposed by the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), a political group of the European Parliament.
The proposal was headed up by Romanian MEP Victor Negrescu, a VP of the European Parliament and an S&D member. Negrescu proposed a 1% unified tax on licensed gambling revenues across the EU.
Negrescu and the S&D projected that the Common Tax would raise €2bn–€4bn annually (circa €14bn in budget cycle) for funding and projects supporting education, youth, mental health, addiction prevention and the protection of minors.
The plans were met with some backlash. The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) immediately criticised the proposed tax, and the trade body was soon joined by Malta’s government.
Malta criticised the tax as interfering with the national sovereignty of member states to govern individual gambling markets.
Common taxes included
However, the Budget does specify the review of selective taxes on four common sources related to emissions trading, electronic waste, tobacco consumption and carbon offsetting.
Of distinction to all stakeholders, the Budget maintains the Corporate Resource for Europe (CORE) proposal that will apply a flat-rate annual lump-sum contribution from all EU businesses generating over €100m in revenues.
CORE has been agreed on as a common tax applied during the budget cycle for the specific reason to drastically reduce debt accumulated from the COVID-19 era.
For tobacco, the draft proposes that each member state contributes 15% of an amount calculated from tobacco products released for consumption and the minimum duty rates applicable in that country.
First projections cite that common tax plans (excluding gambling) could raise up to €55bn annually for the EU budget.
ST-13922-2026-INIT_en (1)DownloadBudget splits remain
PM Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta, has supported the Budget 2028 initiatives, including common tax policies but not on online gambling. Gambling is a key economic contributor for Malta and other EU member states.
Support for common EU taxes is led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, who argue that economic self-dependence must form a part of the next EU budget cycle.
In Strasbourg, The European Parliament continues to support new EU revenue sources and has identified an online gambling levy as a potential funding measure.
This position could apply pressure on the Irish Presidency to reconsider the proposal as a mechanism to be introduced during the EU’s 2028–2034 budget cycle.
As stands, the negotiating document remains non-binding, while adoption of the final Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) requires unanimous Council agreement and the European Parliament’s consent.