Rank Group, the UK-based bingo hall and casino operator, has won its case at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over claims that it had overpaid bingo tax by more than £250m.

The ECJ said that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) had breached European Union rules on fiscal neutrality due to different levels of VAT applied to jackpot and similar machines.

Rank Group's bingo claims totalling £253.4m including interest had previously been upheld by both the VAT and Duties Tribunal and the High Court.

The company said it would now consider the implications of the ECJ's ruling with regards to a claim for nearly £31m including interest in relation to amusement machines.

Deloitte VAT partner Anbreen Khan, who advised Rank, said: "This is a fair decision which corrects the unlawful application of VAT across the industry.

"We have always considered that there was a fiscal imbalance in the VAT treatment of certain gaming machines and forms of bingo."