Gala Coral warns smoking ban will lead to hundreds of job cuts in UK bingo halls

Next month’s smoking ban will lead to hundreds of job cuts in the country’s bingo halls, gambling group Gala Coral has warned.

The company said last week it expected to close up to 13 of its bingo clubs if the impact of the ban was as drastic as it had been in Scotland.

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Clubs there have reported rapidly falling profits, with numerous closures, as smokers abandoned the halls and the fruit machines.

The Bingo Association, which represents operators, has estimated up to 200 clubs could close down, leading to widespread job losses.