Spruce Grove Bingo has seen a 25% rise in business since nearby Edmonton, Alberta banned smoking in bingo halls. With both Edmonton and St. Albert banning smoking in bingo halls, Spruce Grove is expecting a significant rise in players. Spruce Grove isn’t the only bingo club seeing more business. At the Vegreville Alclub, there was a similar spike in business. Vegreville is 62 miles east of Edmonton, over an hour’s drive away.

It seems like smokers will go to great lengths to be able to smoke where they play bingo. With laws in Edmonton and St. Albert in effect since the first of July, bingo club owners in towns still allowing smoking expect to see a temporary rise in business. Bingo club owners expect that some of the new customers will continue driving out of town for a nicotine-friendly environment. They expect that some of the new players will probably give up their smokes to stay closer to home.