Ever since UK bingo has been down on the Budget as a double tax earner, in direct opposition to all other gambling activities who pay a set rate. British bingo operators have watched for the new budget with baited breath. A small break was granted at the last budget, but will any new concessions be awaiting land based bingo clubs for this tax season?
This controversy has caused all kinds of issues, the biggest of which was a win by the Rank Group (Mecca Bingo) in European Courts to win back their extra VAT payments, and other bingo operators following suit to the tune of hundreds of millions of GBP.
It has already been implicated that costs will soar as a new budget is anticipated to increase both VAT and National Insurance. But will this affect UK bingo? It remains to be seen. The industry has claimed the no smoking ban and the new Gambling Act, together with double taxation has hit the industry hard.
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While some operators see this as a challenge other operators have been apathetic about it and all they can do is whine. Other bingo operators have taken their heads out of the sand and been creative to drum up additional business.
Like Benjamin Franklin so succinctly said in 1789, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I have a feeling that instead of Tax cuts for the bingo industry, as they have been moaning about paying more than the general gambling industry, perhaps it is time for the rest of the industry to be brought in line. Just think, if they all paid the same, the entire gambling industry would have to be creative about finding a way to pay, and British Bingo could no longer claim “no fair!” That may certainly shake things up!
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