Playtech’s earnings rose sharply on North American growth, while its UK revenue fell as Britain’s higher Remote Gaming Duty took effect.

Playtech reported adjusted EBITDA of €162.5 million for the six months ended 30 June 2026, up 77% from a year earlier.

The London-listed gambling technology group reported continuing-operations revenue of €425.1 million, compared with €387 million in the first half of 2025. It said it remains on track to deliver more than €270 million in adjusted EBITDA for the full year.

North America drives growth

Revenue from the United States and Canada rose 161% year on year to €56.9 million. Playtech linked the increase to its work with Hard Rock Bet in Florida and broader expansion across regulated North American markets.

That growth helped offset weaker performance in Britain. Playtech’s business-to-business revenue from the UK fell to €59 million from €64.2 million in the first half of 2025. On a constant-currency basis, the decline was 5%.

Higher duty weighs on UK performance

Remote Gaming Duty increased from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026. The duty applies to profits from remote gaming with UK customers, rather than to a supplier’s total revenue.

Playtech said the UK result reflected the initial effect of the tax increase and customer-specific changes. One operator brought self-service betting terminals in-house. Contractual changes also affected another customer.

The company expects the higher duty to have a greater effect in the second half. It also expects second-half adjusted EBITDA to be lower than the first half as US revenue normalises, investment continues in Brazil and the UK tax change affects a full reporting period.

What the figures show

Playtech supplies gambling businesses. Its results do not provide a direct measure of consumer gambling activity. They show how a technology provider is responding to the commercial conditions facing British operators.

The UK decline also cannot be attributed entirely to the tax change. Playtech identified the duty as one factor, alongside customer decisions and contract changes. It did not publish a separate figure for revenue lost specifically because of the tax.

  • Continuing-operations revenue: €425.1 million
  • Adjusted EBITDA: €162.5 million
  • US and Canada revenue: €56.9 million
  • UK business-to-business revenue: €59 million
  • Remote Gaming Duty rate: 40%, effective from 1 April 2026

Playtech holds remote and non-remote operating licences from the Gambling Commission for Great Britain. Those licences apply to the British regulatory framework. They do not establish a single licensing regime for Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Further tax changes are scheduled

The 40% rate applies to Remote Gaming Duty from 1 April 2026. The government has also set a 25% remote rate within General Betting Duty from 1 April 2027. UK horse-racing bets are excluded from that change.

For suppliers serving British operators, Playtech’s results provide an early financial test of the new tax regime. International growth can protect earnings, but the UK figures show that the domestic market is already producing a different result.