Players and employees alike have teamed up to protest against a proposed increase in bingo tax.
Mecca Bingo has launched a campaign opposing a planned hike in tax by the government.
Employees at the firm, along with keen players, are both protesting against the move, which will see the tax increase from 15 percent to 22 percent on land-based bingo halls. The tax change, announced by chancellor Alistair Darling in the 2009 Budget, has been labelled unfair by Mecca as the tax on other gaming industries - such as betting shops and casinos - has remained at 15 percent.
Rank Group, the parent company of Mecca Bingo, has warned that bingo halls have already been hit by the smoking ban and a tax increase could cause them further problems as they compete against the online sector for market share.
However, the campaigners have turned to the internet to vent their anger, with petitions against the tax being set up on the social networking site Facebook. Additionally, the group have written to local newspapers, sent a petition to Downing Street and Rank Group chief executive has appeared on the BBC's Politics Show to express his concerns.
According to the campaign, more than 25,000 players have now expressed their unhappiness with the proposed new tax.
