04.16
Might the Anti Cigarette Law in Britain Take Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Web?
A lot has been reported in the papers not long ago about the bingo industry being hit as a result of the anti cigarette law in the UK. Things have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to help keep the industry alive. But can the internet variation of this traditional game present a reprieve, or will it in no way compare to its real life peer?
Bingo has been an enduring game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had witnessed a recent increase in acceptance with younger people opting to visit the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a Saturday night. All this is about to be reversed with the introduction of the cigarette ban across England and Wales.
No more will gamblers be allowed to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most common areas where folks enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo halls. Profits have dropped and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Surely they haven’t given up on this age old game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers know that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and smoke and still have a chance at monstrous jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the social part of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the rules have left many bingo players with little alternative.