Memorandum from Leo Leisure (DGB 137)
I have been in the bingo industry for over 30
years, as a manager for a National Company, and now own a small
club in Hampshire, which is run as a family business with my wife
and sons.
We believe that the proposed legislation could
destroy the livelihoods of independent clubs, and the social benefit
to members. We are referring to the proposal that new licence
applicants would not have to prove a demand, and that casinos
would be able to provide Bingo which they would use as a loss
leader and an enticement to lure customers into their casinos
and hard gaming. This could destroy the fabric of traditional
Bingo Clubs
Over the past few years there has been a steady
growth in unlicensed Bingo to a point I believe, where more Bingo
books are sold to the unlicensed sector that the licensed sector.
All clubs playing Bingo should be licensed so that there is a
level playing field and a bench mark to the public knowing that
all bingo is fairly controlled wherever it is played.
The other point I would like to make is the
nonsensical introduction of the age limit of 18 years for employment
in clubs. We have, for many years employed students, some of whom
have gone on into top management positions, and remain within
the industry. Bingo is a good education for young people in confidence,
meeting and mixing with people of all ages, and learning skills
that will enhance them later in life. This contradicts the change
in the new licensing act which allows people under the age of
18 to work in bars, and let us not forget the introduction of
hard gaming that takes place in our shops and supermarkets, the
sale of scratch cards and lottery tickets, which is often staffed
by people barely 16.
I did spend some time with the late Sir John
Hoddinot who was a member of the Budd committee, when he spent
a day in our club and seem to understand the aforementioned issues,
and welcomed the vast experience I have of the industry.
February 2004
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