Rank, the owner of Mecca bingo clubs, has won a ruling from the UK VAT & Duties Tribunal on the VAT treatment of mechanised cash (or interval) bingo. The Tribunal said the UK approach goes against EU law because it taxes some types of mechanised cash bingo, but not others. This breaches the principle of fiscal neutrality, the Tribunal ruled. HM Revenue and Customs has until July 10 to appeal the decision. Rank said the claim is worth £36.3 million ($71.6 million).
May 28 2008