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MP fights against unfair bingo tax
Many people in the bingo industry have been fighting for some time in a bid to get the tax on bingo halls changed. The tax has been up and down over the last couple of years, but at the moment is set higher than tax for other forms of gambling which many people feel is unfair, especially in the current economic climate where every penny counts.
It’s always good to get high profile people to support any campaign, and in this case Brian Binley, the MP for Northampton South has joined in. He is opposing the high tax, which he believes is not fair as bingo is commonly seen as being one of the least dangerous types of gambling, and has referred to it as a ‘granny tax,’ referring to the fact that bingo players are often seen as being in the more mature age group, even though the average age has dropped over recent years.
Mr Binley told the Northampton Chronicle, “Bingo is one of the least damaging forms of gambling and yet it pays one of the highest rates of taxes. Most of the people who play bingo use it as an opportunity for social interaction. The previous Government created 24 hour casinos and wanted to place more of them in many of our large cities and towns, even though all the evidence suggested they were one of the most damaging forms of gambling. Yet they placed a granny tax on bingo enthusiasts.”
The Conservative MP recently paid a visit to a Beacon Bingo club in his local constituency to give him a taste of the whole bingo experience, and to see first hand how bingo halls are being affected by high taxation. To put things into perspective, bingo clubs currently pay a higher rate of tax than high street bookmakers. Whether he succeeds in his bid or not is another matter, but the fact that he has pledged his support is a positive factor. However, as the recent budget left this matter alone and made no tax changes hopes are not too high. It is a fight that will go on though in the hope that one day it will succeed.
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