03.05
Can the Anti Cigarette Law in the UK Force Bingo Players On to the Internet?
A lot has been reported in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. However can the web variation of this traditional game offer a salvation, or might it never compare to its real life peer?
Bingo has been an age old game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had witnessed a recent increase in acceptance with younger people opting to go to the bingo halls instead of the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the introduction of the anti cigarette law all over UK.
Players will no longer be allowed to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most common locations where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the anti cigarette law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo parlors. Profits have dropped and the business is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Surely they haven’t forgotten this age old game?
The answer is online. Players are now realizing that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a cocktail and fag and in the end, enjoy big cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course playing on the net can never replace the collective portion of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the rules have left many bingo enthusiasts with little option.