Could the Smoking Ban in the UK Take Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Web?
An abundance has been talked in the papers just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive tax cuts to help keep the industry alive. But will the online version of this classic game provide a lifeline, or might it never compare to its real life peer?
Bingo has been an age old game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had experienced a recent comeback in appeal with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a weekend. All this is about to be reversed with the introduction of the cigarette ban across England and Wales.
No more will gamblers be permitted to smoke while dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already illegal in the bingo halls. Numbers have plummeted and the business is absolutely struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Surely they have not forgotten this established game?
The answer is on the net. Players realise that they can play bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and cig and still have a chance at big cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on online is unlikely to replace the communal portion of heading over to the bingo hall, but for a group of people the governing edicts have left many bingo players with little option.
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