Recently our state, Michigan, joined the close to 40 other states across the nation who have banned smoking in some form. As you probably know, bingo halls and bingos have traditionally had a large percentage of smokers. So, what should you do if you run a bingo and smoking is banned in your area? Below are six suggestions for keeping your bingo players who happen to smoke happy and coming back to your bingo establishment.

1.  Communicate with all of your players, but especially with your players that smoke.

Your players are not going to want to be surprised or have to guess at what changes will be coming. If you don’t outline a plan and communicate it to your players who smoke, guess what? You won’t have any smoking players to worry about anymore. Make sure that you are preparing for the smoking ban, and letting all of your players know about those preparations every step of the way.

2.  Add more frequent and shorter breaks for the smokers

Instead of a single long intermission at the middle of your bingo program (which is pretty typical), you should think about offering more frequent, shorter breaks. Perhaps, 3 or 4 five minute smoking breaks throughout your event will work for your bingo. Some bingos feel 2, 10 minute breaks are better. Whatever you decide, let your smoking players know and get their feedback.

3.  Survey your bingo players and ask them for suggestions.

To involve the smokers in your crowd, you may want to pass out surveys to them (and your non-smokers too) and gather their opinions. Maybe they’d like a different break schedule than you had in mind. Or, they could simply offer some helpful suggestions you hadn’t thought of yourself.

But, be warned. Just because you offer your bingo players a survey, doesn’t mean you have to implement every result. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to keep your findings to yourself and your workers until you know exactly what you want to do. You don’t want to make players upset or create any fights. Use your survey simply as a guide to prepare for the non-smoking future and make your decisions based on what’s better for all of your players.

4.  Structure prizes around your breaks.

Structure Prizes around breaks so that smokers players will be incentivized to come back to the bingo game after their intermission or break.

5. Pre-bundle your pulltabs

Place workers with pulltabs near the exits where the smokers will go for a break and have them sell pre-bundled pulltabs for a quick and easy transaction. In fact make all of your bingo supplies are bundled neatly and conveniently to expedite to speed operations along. This will give your smokers as much time to both play bingo and pulltabs and have a smoke if they want.

6. Host a themed welcome back bingo night

Embrace the smoking ban and try to have fun with it. Do something special for the first bingo you have after the ban. Host an Elvis themed event or some other fun activity that will get your smoking players back in the door. Empathize with your players and celebrate bingo.