Offline Bingo Halls See Their Profits Go Up
November 25, 2008Over a year into the smoking ban in the UK and more than 53 land based bingo halls have closed, bringing the number of clubs still open to about 550. Yes, the credit crunch is partly to blame, but this has certainly not stopped bingo players joining online bingo.
Did this come as a surprise to the bingo industry? Not really, because in Scotland the smoking ban has been in effect since March 2006 and all reports showed that it has been an absolute disaster for all the top bingo clubs. Income (which effects prize money) dropped by as much as 50% and many clubs were forced to close their doors.
So what is the result of all this turmoil in the bingo industry, and who is the ultimate winner? That’s simple; the bingo players themselves are the ones who benefit. It has forced the offline bingo companies to modernise and it has brought legitimacy to the online environment. It has offered players a choice of where they can play and more importantly it has given everyone the chance to play one of the world’s favourite games – BINGO!