Since the approval of the smoking ban in public places was announced, bingo hall operators have been concerned that players will lose interest in the game and choose to play in their own homes, where they are allowed to smoke. When the smoking ban came into effect in Scotland last March, annual revenues for bingo clubs dropped by 15 percent.

Gala Bingo, one of the most important bingo operators in Britain, seems to have found a solution. The bingo operator, which owns 175 bingo halls, will offer its clients handheld devices that will allow them to play the game remotely while going outside for a smoke.

According to a spokesperson for Gala Bingo, the company is in the process of obtaining gaming licenses, which will cover outside areas reserved for smokers. The company believes this technology will modernize the whole process of bingo and is planning to install up to 120 of the devices in its 175 halls.