Mecca Bingo has experienced a sun shocker this year, the UK summer heat wave has hit the company where it hurts in the pockets.
Heatwave Impacts Mecca Bingo Earnings
Rank Group have reported sales and player numbers in the 97 Mecca bingo clubs situated across the UK are down in the 15 weeks leading up to 13th October 2013.
They issued a profit warning this week as figures slumped with an 11% downturn in players through their bingo club doors. Although, there was a bit of a ray of sunshine for the bingo group as they also reported members who did turn up actually spent more.
Mecca Bingo and rivals Gala Bingo have long been the two big main contenders in the land based industry.
There have been lots of speculation in the news over the past few weeks that Gala Coral is considering selling all their land based bingo clubs at an estimated cost of more than £250 million.
Increase in Online Gambling Led By Woman
In contrast a report in the Sunday People ‘ Take it Easy Magazine’ stated that there has been a huge increase in online gambling, with a massive rise of 32% in players and women are currently placing some of the biggest bets.
During 2005, Labour was behind a major change in the gambling industry after they lifted the ban on TV and Radio advertising for casino, bingo, and bookmakers.
This opened the floodgates for gaming sites to air their wares directly in the public eye, and they certainly took full advantage.
Whilst online bingo sites have been steadily growing over the years, our land based bingo industry has been in somewhat of a decline, with lots of factors attributing to its demise and not just the weather.
The smoking ban had a major impact and the rise of being able to play bingo 24/7 from the comfort of your own home around work /family commitments just cannot be competed with.
However, there is nothing like having a win and getting the cash in your hand there and then, which is the only real downfall to playing at an online gaming site.
Although with payment methods and online banking transactions improving, withdrawal times when using methods such as PayPal have been greatly reduced.
A withdrawal using Paypal can now see funds back in a bank account the same day, within just a couple of hours of making the withdrawal request in fact.
