The Bingo Halls looming over the cliff

The sector is not lost on the battle to lower taxes The employer as critical the situation in a sector that, even so, it provides 152 million euros annually to the exchequer in taxes. Therefore, claiming the Catalan governments help to renew it self. If not, warn employers, half thousand workers can stay on the streets next year. Last Friday, after 20 days in competition, the bingos ended the war and agreed to the Superior turn, again, this type of game. The disconnection irritated at the Catalan government, which has left 200,000 euros by joining the boycott. Entrepreneurs bet on a measure of pressure in that caliber to achieve a goal of survival: the tax break. Catalonia is the second community where bingos pay more taxes (28%) and employers ask at the level of autonomy as Madrid (22%), Valencia and Andalusia (23%). They believe that lowering them would increase the amount of the awards and thus make it more attractive to the bingo players. It was a desperate measure by a desperate situation, he admits, to bull past, the president of the Association of Bingo in Catalonia, Javier Franc, who spoke on behalf of the three entities that bind to employers. The rooms have yielded finally to the demand of the General tat connecting the Superior as a condition for both sides to feel again, to negotiate. And what they discuss? Improvements key to the future of the business, said Franc. One of them-that tax-cut faces rejecting government, but the employer does not lose hope for implementation in the coming years. The others are of a technical nature and are on track, because the Department of the Interior welcomed. The employer asks to be put in place the so-called virtual card, which allows customers to play on a touch screen, with multiple software options, says Franc. He also claimed that the chambers can install more machines multiplayer games (roulette type) that have given excellent results. Julia, before dinner that comes out of a bingo downtown Barcelona, does not know what it is a virtual board. Neither wants to know. I am a couple of hours with my cards and always ready. The woman, 59, represents the classic profile of bingo player. The employer admits that it can not incorporate young people. But it does update the game so that when young people become adults, is going to arise as a bingo more leisure option. Faced with the voices that consider the bingo business and demoded obsolete, the patron bet on its ability to renew itself. And that puts as an example, in recent years, has managed to scrape Other income: the parking lot, machines and restaurant service. The number of people who decide to enter a bingo fell year after year. Same as billing, which last quarter had fallen to 12%. At least 20 rooms experiencing economic difficulties, and lost in the memory-was six years ago, in La Jonquera, the last time they opened a bingo hall. A decline of specific bingo joins the global economic crisis, which makes the customer, is spending less. So far there have been sporadic layoffs, but things could get ugly next year, warn employers: Without improvements, they may lose 500 or 600 jobs. Lets see if someone cares a bit.