Donald Tusk backs EU gambling levy as ‘direct tool’ to fund €2trn budget

With only two months remaining for EU leaders to seek a settlement on the Union’s next budget, Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland has called on member states to consider a bloc-wide gambling levy as a “serious economic proposal”.

The former President of the European Council (2014 to 2019), becomes the highest-profile figurehead to support calls for the EU to fund its 2028–2034 budget cycle through new “own resources”, reducing its dependence on direct national contributions.

Speaking following a meeting of Visegrád Group leaders in Bratislava, Tusk said the EU would need more resources to respond to its changing responsibilities but argued that the additional burden should not fall on citizens and workers.

“As the European Union, we need to spend more money because there are new challenges,” Tusk explained. “I would like these increased resources not to burden people.”

The Polish premier urged leaders to give serious consideration to proposed EU taxes on major digital platforms, ..