Guidance

Find out how to use the Gambling Tax for Agents online service

How to register and get client authorisation for the Gambling Tax for Agents online service.

If you need to send clients’ gambling tax returns to HMRC you can use the Gambling Tax for Agents online service, part of HMRC online services.

Gambling tax means General Betting Duty (GBD), Pool Betting Duty (PBD) and Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) only.

The service lets you:

How to register

If you already have an HMRC online services account

To add gambling tax for agents to your services:

  1. Sign in to HMRC online services.
  2. Go to ‘Your HMRC services’.
  3. Select ‘Register for HMRC Taxes’ in the left-hand menu.
  4. Select ‘Register for Gambling Tax Online for Agents’.
  5. You’ll be given a Gambling Tax agent reference number and a Government Gateway Agent Identifier on the registration and enrolment summary. You should make a note of these, as they will not be sent to you separately.
  6. Provide your client with your Government Gateway Agent Identifier and postcode.

If you’re not registered for HMRC online services

To set up an account for Gambling Tax Service for Agents you’ll need to:

  1. Sign in to Government Gateway, and select ‘Register as an Agent’ to create a Government Gateway user ID and password.
  2. Sign in to HMRC online services using your Government Gateway agent user ID and password.
  3. Select ‘Register for HMRC Tax’.
  4. Select ‘Register for Gambling Tax Online for Agents’.
  5. You’ll be given a Gambling Tax agent reference number and a Government Gateway Agent Identifier on the registration and enrolment summary. You should make a note of these, as they will not be sent to you separately.
  6. Once registered, provide your client with your Government Gateway Agent Identifier and postcode.

How to get authorised

Once you’ve signed up for the Gambling Tax for Agents online service, your clients will need to authorise you to act on their behalf.

The only way to get authorised for gambling tax is for your client to do it in their Business Tax Account. You will need to give them your Government Gateway Agent Identifier to do so.

You can find this by:

  1. Signing into your HMRC Online Services for Agents account.
  2. Select ‘Authorise client’ on the left-hand menu.
  3. Find your identifier on the next screen under the title ‘Agent Identifier’.

To set up agent authorisation, your client will need to:

  1. Sign in to their Business Tax Account (using the Government Gateway user ID and password that they used to register for Gambling Tax).
  2. Select ‘Manage account’ at the top of the page.
  3. Select ‘Add, View or Change your Tax Agent’.
  4. Select ‘Gambling Tax’.
  5. Select ‘Edit’.
  6. Add the Agent Identifier you gave them.
  7. Press ‘Save’ and ‘Submit’.

Once you’re authorised, as well as using the online service, you’ll also be able to contact HMRC by phone or post on behalf of your client.

Published 31 July 2015
Last updated 7 September 2022 + show all updates
  1. The section 'How to register' has been updated to provide clarification about adding gambling tax for agents to your services. Updates have also been made to the authorisation process in section 'How to get authorised', previously 'Agent authorisation for Gambling Tax' to let you know that your client will need to authorise you to act on their behalf through their Business Tax Account, not the Agents HMRC online services account.

  2. Information updated on how to register for the service and how your clients can set up agent auhorisation.

  3. Guidance updated to clarify the process which agents and their clients need to follow to register and use the online services.

  4. Agent online services guidance has been updated to improve style and layout of content. HMRC Online Services log in information also updated in this guide.

  5. First published.