Alison Hume says she's spoken to the owners of Mecca Bingo to try and get them to open up a new property in Scarborough.
Ms Hume said she's been working on the changes since toughened taxes were introduced on gambling:
"I've been lobbying quite heavily on the gambling side of things. It's actually good news for seaside towns. You probably picked up the remote gaming duty and general betting duties are going up, but that applies to remote and online betting, so betting in person.
"It's not affected. And also this that's really important for our businesses in Scarborough and Whitby in terms of being, on people in person betting. And the other thing which has come about. Which I'm pleased about, given that we've unfortunately seen the closure of Mecca Bingo is the bingo duty, which is currently set at 10%, which will be abolished that's intended to support land-based bingo venues."
She says bingo can be a vital outlet socially for many older people:
"It's really important. I think we'll all agree, particularly for elderly people, that it's not just going out to play bingo. It's something that keeps them company and gives them a community. So I've also met with Baroness Cross as well as with the Bingo association and talking to her about the sense that. Lower risk betting such as Bingo needs to be separated from adult gaming centres because we're seeing the adult gaming centres preying on coastal communities.
"And they're associated with higher harm in terms of gambling as well as the societal impacts of having 24/7 adult gaming centres open."
The MP added that there is a consultation to separate adult gaming centres away from other lower risk gambling.
Gambling companies have generally reacted negatively to the new UK tax laws, warning of significant hits to profits, potential job losses, store closures, and a boost to the black market.
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