Government Refuses to “Grade” Gambling
Following recent debates regarding the current tax on bingo, the Government has suggested that they are not in the position to “grade” different types of gambling, nor do they plan on taking this action in the future.
At the moment, bingo halls face a tax of 22%, while other gaming venues pay just 15%. Critics of the current tax have suggested that the steep tax rate, along with the smoking ban, has meant that bingo halls are often at risk of shutting down. Today, Shipley MP Philip Davies will today “demand” lower tax rates for bingo, but it’s believed ministers will not budge on the issue.
Speaking to the Telegraph and Argus newspaper, Mr Davies suggested that he’s not asking for a lower tax rate, just a fair one. However, when the issue was raised in parliament yesterday, Sarah McCarthy-Fry, the secretary to the Treasury, noted that the social and community elements of bingo are taken into account when deciding tax levels, but hinted that the current 22% tax is unlikely to change.
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