Could the Cigarette Ban in England Drive Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Net?
An abundance has been stated in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the anti smoking law in the UK. Things have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive aid to help keep the businesses alive. However can the online variation of this quintessential game provide a lifeline, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo has been an enduring game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game of late had undergone a recent comeback in appeal with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo halls instead of the discos on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the legislating of the cigarette ban across England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 every public place will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most common areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already barred in the bingo parlours. Numbers have dropped and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did all the players go? Certainly they haven’t cast aside this established game?
The answer is on the web. Players are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and smoke and in the end, have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course betting on on the net is unlikely to replace the communal portion of going down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left many bingo players with little option.
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