The campaign from the bingo industry to reduce the level of bingo duty gathered momentum as Conservative MP Edward Timpson has expressed his intention to bring this issue to the attention of the government. Mr Timpson has been reported in the press as going as far as signing a petition against the unfair tax system in which the government are still trying to defend. The MP has also raised the issue on his own website and is in agreement with the Bingo Association's statement that "Over taxing the softest and most sociably accepted form of gaming makes no sense".

On the other side of the fence, labour parliamentary candidate for Crewe and Nantwich has said he has raised the issue with the Treasury who are still adamant that the crisis the bingo industry is in is not due to tax. The Treasury have further defended the claim by saying the tax system has been simplified at the Bingo association's request and the bingo industry in general should see benefits.

The Government justified the Bingo duty levels explaining the rate is comparable to average tax rates on gaming machines and casinos. However the bingo industry strongly refute these claims as casino duty levels start at 15 percent and work up on a sliding scale. All bingo clubs if they were taxed at the same rate as a casino would only pay 15 percent duty as opposed to 22 percent. Also gaming machines are placed in bingo clubs and they too have suffered almost a 10 percent rise in duty.

As for other forms of gaming including betting, the duty is set at 15 percent.

Since the government is now struggling to cling on to power after the expenses arguments, now is the time for the bingo industry to highlight the unfairness of this tax regime. Bingo in the UK generates over 17,000 jobs. The Bingo industry has warned the Treasury and MP's that not making the tax system fair will cost many bingo jobs and if the customers lose their local bingo club, it may also cost the job of any MP who does not back the bingo campaign.