Is number up for bingo?
Since Dakota Dunes Casino opened earlier this year, fewer people are frequenting city bingo halls for their chance at a jackpot.
This leaves local organizations that rely on bingos for fundraising efforts with less winnings.
The $61-million Dakota Dunes Casino opened its 84,000-square-foot facility in mid-August and has eclipsed the gaming experience at the city's four modest bingo halls.
"It's pretty hard to compete against cars and motorcycles and whatever they're giving away," said Barb Diekema, manager of Lucky Bucks Bingo, where the top prize is $1,000.
Since the new casino opened, Lucky Bucks has experienced a 10 per cent drop in revenue, she said.
Dakota Dunes offers gamblers 625 slot machines and 16 table games, but no bingo. That doesn't matter, said Joanne Senebald, manager of ClubWest Bingo, "it's still gambling."
Thursdays used to be busy at her hall, but no longer are.
Once players realize their money lasts longer at the bingo hall, she said she's confident they'll return.
"You can lose too fast there," she said. "In an hour, let's face it, you could probably lose a lot of money, where as at least here you have a chance and it's slower."
But the casino is just another bad hand dealt to the bingo industry, said Doug Paulsen, general manager of City Centre Bingo.
"It's just another hit," he said, adding that VLTs and the smoking bylaw has caused people to look for entertainment alternatives.
His hall's capacity is 1,000 people but it only averages about 175 to 180 players per night, he said.
That's about 20 to 30 people less than before, translating into a 10 per cent drop in revenue.
"If you're at 25 per cent capacity you're doing all right."
Paulsen is working on a few special promotions to get more bingo dabbers though his doors.
"It affects the charities because everybody's on profit sharing and the less people who come through the doors the less money the charities make at the end of the month," he said. It will affect 60 different organizations that rely on his bingo hall for funding, he said. Members of the various organizations work at bingo halls and a portion of the revenue goes to that group. Money from Lucky Bucks goes to 52 organizations, while ClubWest has 28 groups with which they work.
Without money raised from working at bingo halls, it would be tough for Clint Diekema to operate Diekema Taekwondo club.
Money raised helps lower the rent of his training space, buys new equipment and provides families with three or four kids enrolled the opportunity for a reduced membership fee.
"It's a really good, easy way to do fundraising," he said. But with less of it, they may lose members and have to find another fundraising option.
Dakota Dunes Casino is operated by Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority. Casino profits are split this way: 25 per cent to the provincial government, 50 per cent to the First Nations Trust Fund and 25 per cent to the local community development corporation.
No one from the casino was available for comment.
Written by Matthew Kruchak, The StarPhoenix
