Bingo Caller Event Cancelled - 06-24-08

June 24 - Over a decade of national tradition has been suspended for the time being as the United Kingdom bingo industry struggles with the tough situation that it finds itself in.

Ever since new legislation brought about a double taxation policy, smoking ban and a cap on revenue-generating jackpot machines, land-based bingo halls have been battling to break even, and many of the countries 600 bingo halls are under genuine risk of closing down.

Another blow has been dealt to the UK bingo industry after it was announced this week that the National Bingo Caller of the Year event has been suspended temporarily because of the situation.

This tradition goes back to 1994, when British bingo halls wanted to honor those men and women who make the game so entertaining across the country. The competition was taken over from the Bingo Association by the National Bingo Game in 1999 and has become a main event in the industry's calendar each year.

However, a statement was put out this week that read as follows: "Due to the considerable challenges and issues facing the bingo industry at present, it has been decided to suspend the National Bingo Caller of the Year competition for 2008. It is fully anticipated that the competitions will be reinstated in an even more exciting and further further reaching format next year and we forward to re-launching our search for Britain's premier bingo callers at that time."

Certain bingo hall groups, such as Gala, are going ahead with their own Caller of the Year competitions for now, however the national event has always held a special place in everyone's heart since Patrick Bowler won the first event in 1994.

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