06.22
Could the Anti Smoking Law in Britain Force Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Net?
A lot has been talked in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the smoking ban in the United Kingdom. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax cuts to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the web adaptation of this traditional game provide a escape, or will it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo is an established game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had witnessed a recent comeback in acceptance with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo parlours in place of the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the anti smoking law all over United Kingdom.
No more will players be able to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most popular places where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did all the players go? Obviously they have not cast aside this familiar game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a beverage and fag and still enjoy big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course playing on the web is unlikely to replace the social part of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of people the law has left a good many bingo players with no choice.