Bingo draws fewer players

Competition and declining economy caused one local church bingo to close.

By TIM YOVICH

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

Long a funding source for churches, veterans groups and other nonprofit organizations, bingo seems to be going the way of too many other institutions in the Mahoning Valley area — downhill.

The reasons are many and varied, but include smoking restrictions, competition for gaming dollars and increased costs to operate the large halls where bingo has flourished for generations.

St. Joseph the Provider in Campbell closed down its bingo game early this summer.

Chuck Zamary, who was involved in the church bingo for about 20 years at St. Joseph’s, said proceeds had been used to keep tuition costs down at the parish school.

Up until three years ago, Zamary said, the church bingo drew 175 to 200 players a night. But that number had fallen to about 115 players per session when bingo was shut down.

He noted that though Ohio starting enforcing its statewide smoking ban in May, the diocese had banned smoking in church halls such as St. Joseph’s three years ago because the halls were part of the parish schools.

Competition for gaming dollars and a declining economy also played important roles in the demise of St. Joseph’s bingo.

“You can’t blame it all on no-smoking. It was [only] a contributing factor,” Zamary said.

Zamary points to the emergence of Tic Tac Fruit electronic machines in many bars and stand-alone gaming business, and the lure of Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort across the state line in Chester, W.Va.

Zamary said it costs only $20 for a bus trip to casinos in Canada and New York state. The price includes a lunch and $20 to gamble with.

Zamary said that other problems impacting St. Joseph’s bingo were increases in the cost of utilities and advertising, and larger payouts in an effort to attract players.

“It’s not just us,” Zamary said of St. Joseph’s loss of bingo business. “You’re going to see more that have to close.”

Joe Sferra, owner of Crown Wholesale in Youngstown, a distributor of bingo supplies, said he has seen a 15 percent to 20 percent decline in Ohio business during the past two years. His Pennsylvania business logged only a 5 percent decline. Higher bingo jackpots are allowed in Pennsylvania than in Ohio and might have accounted for part of the difference.

Sferra said that dramatic increases in the prices of gasoline and natural gas in a declining economy have had a “suppressing effect” on bingo play for the last two years.

“It has never recovered from that,” he said.

Charles Hankavich runs bingo at Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Center in Youngstown, where smoking was banned about two years ago. At first, the number of players dropped, but players returned to the center after about two months and it continues averaging about 150 players a night.

Hankavich said he may have “lost a few players” who have gone Pennsylvania to play because smoking is allowed in public places there.

Paul VanOrd, bingo manager for American Legion Post 299 in Sharon, Pa., has seen a significant increase in Ohio players since the Ohio smoking ban went into effect. Many of them are from Hubbard and Niles.

Post 299, VanOrd said, was getting 160 to 200 players on bingo nights. That number has climbed to 200 to 250 players — with 70 percent of them being smokers.

However, Ohio’s smoking ban hasn’t increased the number of players at all Western Pennsylvania bingo parlors. For example, in New Castle, Pa., Thomas Lane, who operates the bingo at American Legion Post 353 in New Castle, said he hasn’t seen any increase in the number of players from Ohio because of the smoking ban. He gets 110 to 140 players on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They’re all regular players.

About 70 percent of his players are smokers, Lane said, noting he provides a nonsmoking room that is used by 12 to 15 players a session.

yovich@vindy.com