Government to Assist Ailing Land Based Operations

The Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has finally revealed plans to increase the number of slot machines permitted in bingo clubs.  New gaming legislation which was implemented in September of 2007 imposed restrictions on the number of highly lucrative slot machines which hit the industry where it hurt. The number of £500 jackpot slot machines now authorized will double from 4 to 8.

The UK's bingo industry also suffered massively from the effects of the smoking ban in 2007 and double taxation in the form of 15% gross profits tax and 17.5% VAT. Bingo operators are still lobbying for the abolition of VAT on bingo products, but have been unsuccessful thus far.

The one off move is hoped that the action will quash the current trend of land based bingo hall closures across the UK, with an estimated 15% having ceased trading over the last 4 years. It is hoped that the u-turn in legislation will be approved by Parliament before the end of this year.

The news was met with considerable relief by the UK Bingo association and is expected to improve the stability of the industry which provides jobs for in excess of 17,000 members of staff.

For the moment a prime UK online bingo authority insists that despite the deteriorating global economic situation, Britain's thriving online bingo industry shows no indication of weakening.

30th June 2008