Pubs that have gaming machines on their property have always been required to hold a licence and abide by the Gaming Machine Regulations 2007 No. 2158. But now those pubs running quiz machines like “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” might be facing potential taxation of a retrospective nature.
The British Beer and Pub Association (www.beerandpub.com) have highlighted the dangers as the HMRC goes about reclassifying these kinds of machine to make them “gambling machines” for the purposes of taxation.
Worse, the tax will have a 3 year retrospective effect and could mean that pubs running these machines might be facing an extra tax bill of up to £2,500. Many publicans will be turning off the machines altogether as they will lose their appeal over the standard gambling machines which have always been subject to stricter taxation and regulation. Clearly this will mean everyone loses out, the customers, the pubs and the quiz machine owners and it can only damage the industry.
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I like nothing more than a beer and a session on the quiz machine after work. What business is this of the government’s? The money you can win or lose on the things is pretty trivial. How can they justify taxing them out of existence when evil pound-a-spin fruit machines are destroying people’s lives? Would it be too cynical to suggest that they would rather punters played bandits than quizzies because there is more revenue to be raised from them?
You’re right Michael. It seems a bit excessive doesn’t it? Especially in the light of recent news of a rise in gambling (and gambling addiction) during the recession!