MP Stewart House and spokesperson for the SNP Treasury Party has backed the land based bingo industries fright to abolish the absurd double taxation law that is placed upon bingo halls throughout the UK. Under this current law, bingo clubs have to pay both VAT at 17.5% and a gross profit tax at 15% and this is believed to be a massive contributing factor as to why we have seen over 100 bingo halls close their doors for the very last time over recent years.

Stewart House MP has also taken his backing of the campaign to rid the bingo industry of this double taxation law one step further, as he has written to Angela Eagle, who is the Treasury Minister for the government, calling for an end to this bingo law in the UK.

Mr Hosie, went on to say, “The UK Government’s treatment of the bingo sector is incredibly unfair and action needs to be taken to help the sector at this very difficult time. Licensed bingo remains the only gambling product subject to double taxation, which results in an effective tax rate of 28.2 per cent compared with 15 per cent for most other gambling products. Bingo is great fun but its importance cannot be underestimated. Bingo halls provide a safe and friendly environment for the whole community but especially older people to meet and socialise. The Government chose not to remove double taxation from bingo halls in 2003. The SNP have been keeping up the pressure to right this ever since and we will continue in the run up to the Pre-Budget statement. For the sake of fairness and for sound economic reasons, the UK Government must act to remove double taxation from bingo.”

As they say in the House of Commons (Here, Here) MP Stewart House! Mecca Bingo have long been running their own campaign to get this double taxation law abolished, as have other sectors of the bingo industry, but to date nothing has been done to lessen the burden of our land based bingo clubs, in fact our government seem to be quite content to sit back and watch more bingo clubs close down, instead of stepping up to the mark to help them. The only saving grace that has been forthcoming from the government was the recent relaxation on the £500 jackpot machines housed in bingo clubs up and down the UK.

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