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Bingo clubs to celebrate tax break with free games

May 13, 2014 11:46 am

Edinburgh bingo clubs celebrate Budget boost on 16^th May with free link games worth £1,500 each

Hundreds of thousands of bingo players who backed a campaign to boost their favourite game will be celebrating the Chancellor’s reduction in bingo duty with free games of bingo in clubs across Britain.

In the recent Budget, George Osborne reduced the duty on bingo clubs from 20% to 10%. It means bingo clubs across the UK can now invest in new premises, modernisation and jobs, and have been given an extra boost.

All bingo clubs within The Bingo Association will be holding a ‘Bingo is Boosted!’ celebration on Friday 16^th May, including clubs in Edinburgh. Bingo players and many supportive MPs will be treated to free games of bingo to say ‘thank you’ for supporting the campaign that resulted in this fabulous outcome.

The Boost Bingo campaign, run by The Bingo Association, gathered more than 330,000 petition signatures from bingo players across Britain. Nearly 50 MPs supported the launch of the campaign in their constituencies by visiting their local bingo club, with some trying their hand at calling numbers.

The campaign reached a climax when the petition was delivered to the Chancellor’s residence at Number 11 Downing Street, on the 26^th February. Nearly two hundred bingo players joined MPs for a celebratory procession past the Houses of Parliament. Many MPs came out to meet their constituents who had come to support the Boost Bingo campaign.

Announcing the change, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP, recognised the value of bingo clubs in communities across the UK, and said:-“They want the rate cut to 15%. I can go further. It will be halved to 10%.”

Miles Baron, Chief Executive of The Bingo Association, said:

“On behalf of The Bingo Association, I would like to say an enormous thank you to the 330,000 people who backed the Boost Bingo campaign by signing our petition, to the dozens of MPs who visited their local club and asked questions in the House, and to the Chancellor for recognising the importance of bingo clubs in nearly 400 communities across Britain.

“I’m sure the hundreds of thousands of people who enjoy a visit to their local bingo club every week will be delighted to hear the game they love has received this substantial boost. We would love to invite them all to celebrate with us on the 16^th of May.”