Just when you thought playing bingo down at the bingo hall was going down the pan, it rises like a Phoenix from the ashes. Literally - from all the fag ash that had to be cleared away when the smoking ban came in last year.

UK Gambling Laws that were implemented last year alongside the smoking ban hit bingo halls hard, with Mecca Bingo reporting a 5% loss in its customers in the first 41 weeks following the new regulations.

Large jackpot machines were removed as a result of the regulations and many players began playing bingo online when they were no longer allowed to smoke in the halls. Mecca’s introduction of new food and drink provisions and smoking areas where bingo could be played too has contributed to a boost in sales.

One of the main reasons for an increase in sales in the last six weeks is a slackening of regulations which means that Mecca Bingo halls have been allowed to reintroduce large jackpot gaming machines in 83 sites. All of these things have led to a 2% boost in revenue and each player spending, on average 8% more than they were previously.

The improvements and incentives for bingo players to go back to the bingo hall seem to be working, with many players returning to playing bingo in bingo halls. Whilst land based bingo seems to be steadily improving, online bingo continues to boom with more and more players signing up to online bingo every day.