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Bingo Advantage
Planned legislation to deregulate Britain’s gambling
industry could lead to a major shake-up in the bingo
sector, as operators struggle to compete against
“unfair” advantages given to casino operators bingo
advantage. According to Peter Perrins, managing director
of Inverness-based Carlton Clubs, many of the proposals
introduced to modernise the industry have actually
created an uneven playing bingo advantage field.
Perrins, who operates 18 clubs in Scotland and northeast
England, and employs 500 people, said: “As the proposals
are written at the moment, the casino industry will be
allowed to provide a whole range of gaming activities
including bingo and sports betting. However bingo
advantage, bingo clubs will not be allowed to introduce
new forms of gambling into our establishments. There
seems to be a disadvantage written into this legislation
which we feel is unfair bingo advantage.”
Perrins added that there has been no indication that the
government would harmonise the widely varying tax
regimes between the various sectors. According to a KPMG
report in 2000 bingo advantage, bingo operators
currently pay the highest level of tax at 34.1%, while
casino operators pay 21.7%.
International players like Harrah’s, MGM Mirage and Sun
International are eagerly awaiting deregulation, which
would also relax rules on where casinos are located and
the number of slot machines permitted, allowing them to
move ahead with plans to build Vegas-style resorts in
the UK. Do bingo advantage mestic companies like Gala
also intend to expand their offering in the casino
marketplace.
Perrins welcomes the easing of many of the restrictions,
such as a draconian rule that forces gamblers to sign up
to a club and wait 24 hours before playing. However, he
is lobbying MPs and members of the joint committee on
the draft gambling bill – who are due to publish their
report on Wednesday – to exclude bingo from casino
establishments bingo advantage.
Otherwise, Perrins warned, there could be
rationalisation in the bingo sector and many operators
would be forced to apply for casino licences. Even then,
these bingo companies could be at a disadvantage as they
would be competing against well-established gambling
corporations who have a track record of running casinos
and already have the training and infrastructure in
place to meet licensing bingo advantage criteria.
But Perrins said Carlton Clubs had the strength to stay
in business come what may. The 69-year-old company has
an annual turnover of £21 million and plans to invest a
further £11m to open two more clubs in Scotland over the
next 15 months.
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