Will the Smoking Ban spell the end for Bingo Halls?

The Bingo industry generates millions of pounds for the gaming industry, and with online Bingo sites becoming increasingly popular with the public, this looks set to increase.

However, since the smoking ban in enclosed spaces was enforced, the UK has seen a decline in Bingo halls, and it is thought up to one in three Bingo halls face possible closure.

It is thought that more people play Bingo than go to Premiere League matches; this is due to the accessibility and ease of the game. It is estimated that over half of Bingo players are smokers and many were used to being able to puff away on their cigarettes, before this law was brought into place. Bingo halls across the country are seeing a decline in Bingo halls, since the ban was enforced. In Scotland many clubs have also faced a drop in admissions. However, online Bingo sites are seeing increase in their members.

With many of the big brands now introducing online Bingo games (Littlewoods and the Sun) the online Bingo industry looks set to boom in 2009.

This is beginning to look more and more as though it could be due to the Smoking ban which was brought into place in the summer of 2007.

A lot of the big name clubs such as Mecca Bingo are now able bring their halls to life online, however, it is mainly the small clubs that will really suffer.

4th March 2009