By Sarah Smithon Tuesday, 18 Dec 2007 Gala Coral is in the money while its competitors lag behind in a puff of smoke.
Unlike other bingo firms which are suffering following the smoking ban Gala Coral has delivered higher profits for 2007, with its Coral bookmaking chain offsetting an 11 per cent fall in underlying earnings at Gala Bingo – the UK's biggest bingo chain.
Around 1.6 million players visit its clubs annually and its website galabingo.com, which was launched in February 2006, is now the biggest online bingo site in the UK.
In July one lucky lady became the first ever bingo millionaire while playing the site's Kerchingo competition.
However, despite its success the bingo giant is still campaigning for the government to ease the legislation which regulates bingo activity.
Gala Coral's, chief executive Neil Goulden, said: "Despite bingo being one of the softest forms of gambling, it remains the most heavily taxed in the gambling industry.
"We continue to make our case to government for the abolition of VAT on bingo products."
The bingo giant also announced this week that it has secured a license from the Chinese province of Hebei to open China's first ever bingo club.
If popular, experts say the Hebei province alone could support the development of around 100 bingo clubs opening up a whole new market for the firm.
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Bingo
