By Penny Walker on Wednesday, 16 May 2007 Bingo halls around the UK are going to suffer as a result of the smoking ban which is due to come into force on July 1st.
A new survey shows that one in three players believe they will play fewer games as a result of the ban, while online bingo is set to see a rapid rise in members.
The research, carried out by bingo operator St Minver, displays just how opposed to the ban most players are, with 21 per cent saying that they will tear up their membership as a result.
Just 14 per cent have pledged to quite smoking so that they can continue to play, while most (63 per cent) revealing that they will simply switch to playing more games online.
"From our research, it appears that land-based bingo clubs are likely to suffer in wake of the smoking ban. Not only do players disagree with the ban, but they're less likely to visit clubs as a result," said Leigh Nissim from St Minver.
Online bingo has been growing in popularity without the aid of the smoking ban and the survey supports the numbers.
Three million people regularly play online, with most saying that they enjoy the flexibility and comfort of playing from home.
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