Online Bingo News

In October 2007, the state of Minnesota passed a statewide ban on smoking that prevented people from smoking in all indoor workplaces. This meant that anyone participating in the charity bingo games would not be allowed to smoke. Since the ban, the state has seen a drop of almost 13 percent in the last quarter of 2007 in charity gambling revenue. State officials have stated that more than half the drop is because of the new ban.

In Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Charlie Lindstrom runs bingo nights at the American Legion Post. Charlie has stated that many of the former customers he would see are now making the drive to casinos on Indian Reservations where smoking is allowed. Some are even driving to North Dakota to play at veteran’s organizations where smoking is allowed due to an exemption from the state’s ban. Charlie said that his attendance is down at least 20 to 35 players a night.

However many believers in the smoking ban say that the public health aspect of the ban out weighs the negative the loss of charity funds. Thomas Huntley a State Representative of Minnesota and the chief sponsor of Minnesota’s Freedom to Breathe Act has stated that in the U.S. when there is a smoking ban there is usually a six month period when business drops but then business will rebound.

There is argument from both sides of whether or not the charity bingo community can bounce back from the loss. Most of the charity bingo organizations raise money for different charity causes in their community and those who benefited from the funds will be hurting at least for a little while until business bounces back or a change is made in the smoking ban.