Should shopkeepers in Devon move away from selling scratch cards?
Scratch cards have been available in shops around Devon for decades, but there could soon be a shift away from selling the lottery cards. This is because the online bingo market has started to offer virtual scratch cards to players. They are easily accessible and convenient, meaning that a lot of players are choosing these options over physical cards. Shopkeepers may now be wondering whether there is much benefit for them to continue selling the cards.
Scratch Cards are Now Hugely Popular Online
Over the last five years, the online bingo industry has been blowing up. One of the main reasons for this explosion is because sites have begun to expand and offer a vast number of different options on top of the regular bingo games. An example of this is the list of jackpot slots found at https://bingo.paddypower.com/c/bingo-jackpots. Players are able to log on and find titles like Fluffy Favourites, Galactic Girls, and Amazon Warrior. These eye-catching games are effective at drawing players in and encouraging them to play at a site.
Aside from slots, the other key addition of online bingo sites has been virtual scratch cards. These are becoming just as popular as the reel-spinning games, and also come in a wide variety of themes. Players can easily choose the card they want to play, and the animations mimic the act of scratching the surface of the card to reveal values underneath. Because people are able to get scratch cards instantly online, there may now be fewer people venturing out to shops to buy them.
Is it Worth it Anymore to Sell Scratch Cards?
Some shop owners in Devon will certainly be wondering whether it is worth it to continue selling paper scratch cards. Offering them puts people at a heightened risk of being the target of criminals. And it’s not just thieves threatening workers in the shop either. Indeed, business owners have to worry about their own staff pilfering the supplies while they work.
This was what happened at St James Dairy in Ilfracombe in December 2019. It was reported in https://www.devonlive.com/news/ that a shop assistant had gradually stolen scratch cards over a 10-day period, amounting to a value of around £300. The employee had worked at the shop for some time and was well trusted by the owners, which made the crime all the more hurtful.
On top of the risks involved, shop owners don’t actually stand to make much money from scratch cards. A total of four per cent goes to the retailer, meaning that they receive four pence from a £1 ticket or eight pence from a £2 card. This isn’t a terrible return and, with more people now opting to buy tickers online, there isn’t as much money to be made as there was in the past.
With the popularity of online scratch cards only set to increase in the years ahead, shopkeepers in Devon may be seriously considering whether they should continue to sell them. It may make more sense to replace the space they take up in the shop with a different product. However, if people do stop selling them they will miss out on magical moments like the ones listed at https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/.
