Mecca Bingo Continue Tax Fight
Mecca Bingo have been at the forefront of the UK bingo tax fight since they learned of the bingo tax increase from 15% to 22% in the 2009 April budget and they are still continuing in their plight. The bingo association have reported that on average four bingo club closures have taken place since the budget. This has now put UK land based bingo in serious decline and club closures have left whole communities without a much loved local bingo hall.
Chief Executive of Mecca Bingo (Rank Group) Ian Burke, has now written to Sarah McCarty Fry (MP), Exchequer secretary to the treasury, expressing his concerns as to the negative impact that changes to the gaming tax system have had on companies such as the Rank group.
From a personal prospective it is hard to see how the UK Government can even begin to justify the increase in land based bingo tax duty from 15% to 22%, when many other gaming sectors including sports betting and the game of online bingo remain at 15%.
During recent years we have seen an unprecedented amount of bingo club closures, in fact over 100 of our bingo clubs are no more and 14 casinos have also bitten the gaming dust. This has resulted in thousands of UK job losses, yet at a time when the UK Government say they want to support businesses, they have kicked the game of bingo in the teeth and done nothing but to burden this industry even more.
Ian Burke is continuing the taxation fight, but as to whether this will be to any avail remains to be seen. In his letter to the exchequer Secretary Mr Burke said, “The current framework for taxation of Britain’s betting and gaming industry discriminates against the nations licensed bingo clubs by applying a level of duty 47% higher than the rate of general bingo duty. As a consequence of this system, which was introduced in April this year, Britain’s bingo clubs are closing at record numbers”.
Bingo is one of the most social forms of gaming available and it is one which enjoyed by many generations of the same family. It can also be a lifeline for our elderly, which is why it is such a shame to see UK land based bingo in serious decline, with the government doing nothing but sitting back on their laurels and letting bingo pass them by.
The team at Online Bingo Club will also continue to back bingo in their hour of need and we support whole heartedly a reverse of the absurd bingo tax law from 22% back down to 15%, which would bring it in line with other gaming sectors.
