Can the Cigarette Ban in Britain Take Bingo Players On to the Web?
Much has been talked in the papers not long ago concerning the bingo industry struggling as a result of the anti cigarette law in England. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded big aid to assist in keeping the businesses alive. But will the internet version of this classic game present a salvation, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo is an established game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had undergone a recent return in popularity with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo halls instead of the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to change with the enforcement of the anti smoking law around UK.
No more will players be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most popular areas where many people like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the anti cigarette law can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Certainly they have not deserted this enduring game?
The answer is online. Players know that they can participate in bingo using their computer while enjoying a drink and smoke and in the end, have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on on the internet will never replace the social aspect of going over to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of people the law has left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little choice.
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