12.09
Could the Cigarette Ban in England Force Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Net?
Much has been written in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry singing the blues because of the cigarette ban in the UK. Conditions have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry afloat. But will the online adaptation of this classic game provide a salvation, or will it not compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo is an ancient game historically enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game of late had experienced a recent comeback in acceptance with younger people opting to visit the bingo halls instead of the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to change with the introduction of the cigarette ban throughout England and Wales.
No more will players be able to puff on cigarettes whilst marking numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 every public location will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most favored places where folks like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the anti cigarette law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlors. Players have dropped and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Of course they haven’t forgotten this established game?
The answer is online. People are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo using their computer while enjoying a drink and smoke and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course gambling on on the net is unlikely to replace the collective part of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of players the governing edicts have left a good many bingo enthusiasts with no choice.