Could the Anti Smoking Law in the UK Drive Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Web?
A lot has been reported in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit because of the cigarette ban in England. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. However does the net adaptation of this traditional game provide a escape, or might it not compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo has been an classic game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had undergone a recent comeback in appeal with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo parlors instead of the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to be reversed with the introduction of the smoking ban around UK.
No longer will enthusiasts be allowed to smoke while marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most common areas where players enjoy smoking.
The results of the smoking ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo parlours. Numbers have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Obviously they haven’t abandoned this established game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realize that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and still enjoy monstrous cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on online will never replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the law has left many bingo enthusiasts with little option.