By Penny Walker on Friday, 5 Jan 2007 Companies running bingo halls in England and Wales are planning to launch a range of initiatives to deal with the impending smoking ban.
Many businesses are taking a proactive approach to the ban, which comes into force later this year, by setting up dedicated clubs at bingo halls to encourage gamers to support each other when trying to quit the habit.
In addition, some of the bigger companies are looking at ways to accommodate smokers going outside for a cigarette by considering the set-up of different timed intervals between games, reports Brand Republic.
"In other environments, pubs for example, you can buy your drink at the bar and take it outside to consume," remarked Steve Baldwin, marketing and communications director for the Bingo Association.
"Due to the way the bingo industry operates and is legislated, you have to be inside the building to play."
Mr Baldwin also suggested that some of the potential losses in revenue as a consequence of the smoking ban could be offset if the government relaxed some of its VAT laws, as he claims that bingo is the most heavily taxed gambling activity in the UK.
Parliament voted to impose the ban on smoking in public places in 2006 and it will apply to pubs, clubs, cafes, shopping centres and other public areas in England from July and in Wales from April this year.
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