Might the Smoking Ban in England Drive Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Web?
An abundance has been stated in the press not long ago concerning the bingo industry struggling because of the smoking ban in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the online version of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar relative?
Bingo has been an established game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game lately had undergone a recent return in popularity with younger people opting to go to the bingo parlors instead of the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the introduction of the anti cigarette law throughout United Kingdom.
No more will players be able to smoke while marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public location will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favored places where folks like to smoke.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already illegal in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Of course they have not forgotten this classic game?
The answer is online. People realise that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, have a chance at massive cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing on the internet will never replace the communal portion of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the law has left a good many bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.