Might the Anti Smoking Law in the UK Drive Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Net?
A lot has been talked in the press just a while ago about the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the cigarette ban in Britain. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge aid to help keep the businesses alive. But can the internet variation of this quintessential game present a lifeline, or will it never compare to its land based relative?
Bingo is an established game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game lately had experienced a recent return in acceptance with younger people opting to go to the bingo parlors rather than the bars on a Friday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enforcement of the cigarette ban across Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favorite places where players enjoy smoking.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already not permitted in the bingo parlours. Players have dropped and the industry is literally fighting for its life. But where did all the players go? Obviously they have not given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the internet. People realize that they can wager on bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and cigarette and in the end, have a chance at monstrous cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on on the net could never replace the communal part of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left many bingo players with little option.