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Gala Bingo Considers Rescue Plan
It is no secret that land based bingo in the UK is in real trouble financially. The draconian national smoking ban hit bingo clubs hard and then came a rise in taxation. For some reason bingo is taxed at a higher rate than any other form of gaming. For gaming companies that operate internet bingo websites the passage of the internet gaming ban in the US caused a drastic drop in revenue and a serious decline in publicly traded gaming stocks. A recent Reuters report states that UK bingo industry giant Gala Coral Group is presently saddled with about 2.7 billion pounds of debt.
Gala was forced to let hundreds of valued employees go and close many of its popular bingo halls across the UK. In 2009 reports of gala bingo club closures became common in the press. Gala also operates a highly successful internet bingo website. Without private investment Gala faces a bleak future indeed. A few years ago when reports said Gala was foundering US gaming giant Harrahs made a bid for shares of Gala. At the time Gala was able to repel any hostile takeover.
In November it was reported that private equity firm Blackstone made a £300 million pound bid for 40 to 60% of the shares. Despite denials from Gala it has been reported that Gala is actively seeking private equity investors to stave off collapse of the company. A recent report from news agency Reuters said the bingo giant had been approached by US private equity firm Apollo. Apollo submitted a plan to Gala which said Apollo would pay 250 million pounds ($405 million USD) for half of the company. The conditions of the Apollo deal say that 250 million pounds would be paid to Galas senior lenders and junior lenders would receive the other half of Gala.
Gala has entered the world of internet bingo with some success. Gala provides players with a generous bingo deposit bonus and free play options. Gala also offers a bingo sign up bonus to players. Like most other UK based bingo sites Gala has increased the size of its bingo bonuses to compete with others in the internet bingo industry.
Galas situation highlights the troubles of the brick and mortar UK bingo industry. Internet bingo, on the other hand, remains a thriving and growing industry. Internet bingo has defied the global recession and remains profitable for internet bingo providers. Gala may want to consider focusing on its online operations.
Divulging Casino Winning Taxes!
Going to casinos is an exciting activity and winnings make it more enjoyable. But your excitement may turn sour when a thing comes to mind that IRS charges 30 percent from part of gambling winning as tax. But do not disappoint because these withheld taxes can be taken back from the IRS in the form if tax refunds.
The U.S.-Canada Income Tax Treaty
Not only locals of United States but also Canadian can also avail the facility of tax refund. Canada and America have an agreement between each other with regard to casino winnings taxes. The treaty between United States and Canada reflects how the taxes of the casino winning should be treated with Canadian citizens. According this treaty thirty percent withheld taxes should be charged from the Canadian citizen, which is based on their gross income from gambling. Adding to this privilege is Article XXII of the same agreement according to which those Canadian locals which are taxed by United States are further entitled to withhold their U.S. source losses against their U.S. source wages. According to this Canadian residents can get Casino tax refunds from the withheld gambling winning tax.
Tax on Gambling
The amount of Casino winning taxes vary depending upon the won amount, it also depends upon the type of casino game and the part of the amount of winnings to the amount of bet. It means that even if you won in a casino game the withheld tax of thirty percent will not be automatically deducted, it is deducted with respect to the ratio between the winnings and losses. Sometimes, your losses exceed from the won amount then there is no winning present to be charged with the tax in the first place. In such situations the IRS requires a report of your earned income to determine how much tax will be charged on the gambling winnings.
The Need to Report
IRS determines whether the winnings need to be charged or not depending upon your losses and winnings. But it is winners responsibility to report his winning details to IRS. It pays to be a careful taxpayer and being liable enough to report even the small amount of winnings. It does not mean you have to pay Casino winning taxes if you reporting about the amount of your winnings. You can reduce your tax amount to be charged on gambling winnings with the help of Form 1040 because this form contains all the information of your gambling winnings and losses. Reporting of gambling losses is as important as the reporting of you winnings because IRS charge taxes on the basic of your winnings and losses.
Get Help
Some persons get confused about how to report gambling winnings and losses to IRS. Sometimes every thing looks to be done perfectly but there are possibilities that you may get into problem with government for not being able to submit the correct information about your amount of casino winning taxes. Get remain safe from such tension you need to have a help from the professional. There are many sites which contains all the information about how to deal with the IRS. To save yourself, from problems and later on litigations it is better to get help of professional before filling up the tax forms.