You must have been following the story on the I’m Backing Bingo” campaign to fight against UK government’s decision to continue with the 22% bingo tax . Bingo halls are worried that If the bingo tax increases above 15 percent then their clubs may get closed. The amendment to lower the tax rate from 22 percent to 15 percent was outvoted by the Parliament during the last week.

This decision continues to be meet with determined protests from Bingo hall enthusiasts. A a part of the ongoing protest, as reported by the Daily Star newspaper,  a group of bingo fans  uniquely expressed their anger and disappointment at the Government. They apparently knitted “voodoo” dolls representing Alistar Darling’s face as he hiked the tax on their favourite game and then fixed sharp pins into voodoo dolls. This was carried by   the member s of the Chester Bingo club members. In this context Margaret Knowles, 73, said: “Alistair Darling is stabbing people in the back. Now we want him to know how it feels.” About 90 bingo clubs have closed in Britain in the last three years and Margaret fears theirs could be next. Bingo fans simply wants the government to “Keep bingo tax at 15%, the same as other forms of gaming such as the football pools, the bookies and online bingo and casinos and fail to understand why bingo halls are being singled out for a tax hike.

Bingo is one of the oldest games in the world and a favourite pastime across the UK played both at land  bingo halls and online site both of which double up as social. Closing down Bingo halls /sites would also put an end to a popular form of social interaction.

As you must be knowing, leading this protest is non other than Mecca Bingo the UK’s leading bingo provider . To affirm your support for this cause do  visit http://www.backbingo.com/

Written for www.londonbingo.co.uk by Irene

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1. Silent protest from Mecca Bingo

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