Listen to this article:The Bingo Association is calling for British bingo clubs to receive greater support and recognition from the government, arguing that they play an important role in towns and communities across Britain.
Chief executive Nicole Garrett put the argument forward in a recent LBC article and said that bingo clubs have many of the same qualities as pubs and other hospitality venues. They provide somewhere for people to meet friends, celebrate occasions and enjoy an affordable night out, while also creating thousands of jobs.
The Association also said that operators are investing more than £50 million in clubs this year following the abolition of Bingo Duty in April. However, it has warned that further increases in gambling taxes could quickly put some of that progress at risk.
In her LBC article, Garrett argued that bingo clubs should be considered alongside pubs and other venues that form an important part of British social life.
Hundreds of thousands of people visit clubs across Britain, and the reasons why generally go beyond simply playing. Regulars meet friends, enjoy food and drink, celebrate birthdays and spend an evening out without it costing a huge amount of money.
This is particularly important for those who may otherwise spend a lot of time on their own, and regular players often describe their local club as somewhere they go to see friends and socialise.
Bingo clubs also provide employment and bring people into town centres, where their visits can also benefit neighbouring businesses. Garrett believes this should be taken into account when the government decides which hospitality and leisure businesses qualify for support through the business rates system.
Earlier this year, the government abolished Bingo Duty, a move widely welcomed by the industry. Previously, operators paid a 10% tax on the profits they made from bingo games. The government said the tax was being removed because halls make a valued contribution to communities, support local jobs and are considered a relatively low-risk form of gambling.
At the time, the industry said that the money saved would give operators more opportunity to invest in their venues and, according to the Bingo Association, this is now happening. Its members are set to invest more than £50 million in clubs during 2026, which it says is more than twice the amount the industry has saved through the abolition of Bingo Duty.
There are already several examples of this investment, such as Mecca Bingo’s recently completed £1.6 million refurbishment of its Stockton club, and Club 3000’s continual investment in both new and existing venues.
However, the Bingo Association is now worried about reports that Machine Games Duty could be increased. Gaming machines are an important source of revenue for modern clubs and are taxed separately from bingo itself. Therefore, any increase in Machine Games Duty would directly increase the cost of operating them.
The Association has warned that a significant increase could put pressure on clubs that are still recovering after several difficult years. Garrett said the result for some venues could be reduced investment or even closure.
A similar warning was recently made by Rank Group, the owner of Mecca Bingo. Its chief executive Richard Harris has said that increasing Machine Games Duty would put additional pressure on the viability of some land-based venues.
The Association’s argument is that the government only recently encouraged the bingo industry to invest by abolishing Bingo Duty, so increasing another tax on club operations could undermine some of the benefit. Therefore, the Bingo Association wants the government to take this investment, as well as the wider social role played by bingo clubs, into account when considering future business rates and gambling taxes.
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