Just play bingo

A New Lease on Life for Bingo Halls as Smoking Ban Enforced

Almost three years ago, the bingo halls in Quebec were a safe place to be for chain smokers, but since the implementation of the province wide smoking ban last May 31, bingo chains are off to a brand new start and a new clientele, the non-smoking bingo players which do not frequent the bingo halls before because of the thick smoke that hung in the air that makes playing before uncomfortable and irritating.

According to director general Chantal Lavallee, before the smoking ban in Quebec about 65% percent of the regular customers in Vandreuil's Bingo dela Presqui'le were smokers. Weeks before the smoking ban was officially enforced to all public, enclosed places like bars, restaurants and bingo halls, she thinks that the percentage of players who smoke had already dropped below 40% percent.

She said in her comment in the Chronicle that the smoking ban has brought fresh players into their bingo halls who are non-smokers. They might have lost some of their players that are smokers, but they have also gain a new market with the smoking ban.

She estimates that attendance for the month of June at the non-profit owned bingo hall, which gives 100% percent of its revenues to off-island charities is less 5% percent compared to the same period last year.

Smokers who still play at Bingo de la Presqu'ile must smoke outside during breaks in the game, which the management have extended by five minutes since the May 31 ban, out of consideration for the players need to smoke. Although Lavallee said that it is not the ban that is threatening the sales in Vaudreuil, but its the return of the Star Academie on Sunday evening. You heard it right, Television is the biggest competitor of the bingo hall because it takes away the attention of people in about whether they would rather play or just sit in front of the television to amuse themselves.

Owner Jules Bernard of the Bingo A Ma Baie located in Pierrefonds said that almost 25% percent of their customers that are smokers have stopped going in their bingo hall since the smoking ban was implemented. But at the same time, a new crop of players has replaced them. Though he estimates that they still have a net loss of 10%, he is confident that a smoke-free area will be good for the business in the long run.

He added that although he thinks that the tobacco law is generally a bad idea, things will be going back to normal later on because of the clean air in the bingo halls which will attract new players, like the non-smokers, young women and a lot more.

He also said that many West Island bingo players have been travelling to the Chateauguay region ever since the law was implemented because native bingo halls in the region still permit smoking. Their hope is that in time, their original clientele will eventually come back.