Tax man double whammy!

In a previous article, After six months of ‘smoke free England’, have the lights finally gone out at the traditional Bingo club?, dated 16 January 2008, we highlighted the suffering caused to bingo halls throughout the country. As a result of the smoking ban that was introduced in England last year there has been a big move towards online bingo.

Not only are clubs suffering through lower admissions due to the ban, but we are now aware that the industry has for many years and still continues to be, being hit hard by the tax man.

Bingo is uniquely subject to double taxation (17.5% VAT and 15% Gross Profit Tax). It is a double whammy as the Tax man takes two bites of the revenue cherry. The bingo industry has been lobbying for several years now against this unfair taxation which ultimately affects you.

Members of the public have finally been given a chance to issue a plea directly to the Prime Minister to change his stance on the over-taxed industry.

Bingo is the only industry which is subject to this unfair taxation and is another reason why many of the country’s smaller bingo clubs are closing down.

As a result of these many club closures, some communities are being deprived of an important social amenity, not to mention the loss of revenue in the local economy.

It has been estimated that £700,000.00 is lost from the economy for every bingo club that closes down per year.  This is a significant loss to our economy which affects you as a British tax payer and not just the people that go to play bingo.

A petition has been set up on the 10 Downing Street website to bring this matter to the attention of the Prime Minister.  If you feel strongly about the closure of our bingo clubs and the taxation of the industry as a whole, it is important that you spare some time and sign up to this petition.

Once there are over 200 signatures submitted on the petition, the Prime Minister is obliged to personally read it and if there are over 21,000 signatures, it will be up there with the most popular petitions currently being debated.

To sign up to the petition, simply click on the link below or type it into your web browser:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SaveOurBingo/

If you are truly committed to bingo, tell all your friends about this and get them to sign up to prevent the ever increasing demise of our nation’s best pastime!

Article was written by Crystal Page at iluvbingo.co.uk

This article may be reproduced in full or in part providing that credit is given to Crystal Page at iluvbingo.co.uk