Naturally Unnatural Issue #5 13th May 2017 | Page 5

Issue #2, 22 nd April
...continued from page 4
The report says “the UK allows a smaller
share of capital expenditure to be deduct-
ed from revenues each year. The Annual
Investment Allowance (AIA) is an excep-
tion to this – it allows 100% of most plant
and machinery costs up to £200,000 to be
deducted from revenues in year 1”.
In short, this means that anything not cov-
ered by AIA makes the UK base uncom-
petitive, as can be seen in the chart be-
low comparing Effective Marginal Tax
Rate (EMTR) across countries. The UK’s
ability to be competitive will rise and fall
LBC’s lacks aware-
ness of adverts
shown on its website
with the rates of
corporation tax but
the report high-
lights that it isn’t
the main problem,
to be competitive
would require a
reform in capital
allowances.
For the full IFS report
visit https://
www.ifs.org.uk/
publications/9207
ness. There has been a recent increase in
scrutiny on the sector and this includes a
government review of Fixed-odds Betting
Terminals (FOBTs), which are often de-
scribed as the ‘crack-cocaine’ of the in-
dustry due to their highly addictive na-
ture.
advantage of people, they shouldn’t allow
websites and companies such as these
from advertising. Killing revenue and
profits from companies such as these will
force them to rethink their strategy and
By Matthew Clifton
moral accountability. Local data gathered
by the Liverpool Public Health Observa-
This is election time and stories that
tory (LPHO) conclusively found “that bet-
don’t involve the campaigning of any
Whilst James O’Brian can be commended
ting shops were more likely to be placed
party is limited. But for the rest of soci-
for getting the woman to admit her prob-
within deprived areas”.
ety, life continues and people still
lem and seek help, the industry made
wake up every day, go to work, inter-
£12.6bn from October 2014 – September LBC have been contacted for comment,
act within society, form relationships
2015, Total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) we have yet to hear back from them…
and battle problems that are often in-
for the UK gambling industry. However,
visible to everyone else around. Those
this compares to £11.2bn reported in the
who battle issues everyday are well-
April 2014 - March 2015 industry statis-
equipped to hide them, they have often
tics. The £1.2bn cost each year compares
built a defence mechanism to give the
to the £2.6bn the industry contributes to
impression of a strong exterior. Addic-
the exchequer each year.
tion is one of those issues.
Campaigners state that the report should
Early in the week James O’Brian received
be a wake-up call to the UK government
a phone call from a woman in Hammer-
and the current estimated cost might be
smith, who said that she gambled up to
too low because it doesn’t consider the
£900 at a time. James O’Brian commenda-
wider impact on employers and families
bly didn’t allow the woman from going
at a social level. It was unfortunate then
before she admitted she had a problem
when clicking onto the clip shared by
with addiction, which is half the battle.
LBC radio station that underneath the
A report released back in December
headline was an advert for the betting
2016 by independent charity Gam-
agency BetBright.
bleAware and IPPR think tank found that
Whilst the placement cannot be helped
gambling addiction costs the UK econo-
as it is a fully automated system, if LBC
my approximately £1.2 billion a year.
want the industry to help reform current
These costs include; mental health ser-
issues surrounding addiction and not take
vices, police intervention and homeless-
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