Smoking bans turn off bingo players

NEW YORK, April 25 (UPI) -- Operators of charity bingo games around the United States say barring players from smoking has been bad for business.

Charlie Lindstrom, who runs games at the American Legion in Fergus Falls, Minn., told The New York Times he gets 30 to 40 players on good nights, where 50 to 75 used to show up. Many of his former players go to North Dakota or to Indian reservations.

Minnesota banned smoking in most public indoor places in October 2007. Operators reported a 13 percent drop in revenues from bingo and other charity gambling in the last quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2006.

Operators in other states report similar losses. While supporters of smoking bans say business at bars and restaurants usually returns to normal after a dip when the bans take effect, bingo operators say their players tend to be dedicated smokers.

Clyde Bock, bingo manager for the Ruth Dykeman Children's Center in Seattle, said he was able to survive by creating a partly enclosed porch area where smokers could play.

"We actually benefited from it, but for the wrong reason -- my competition was forced to close," he told the Times.