Could the Anti Cigarette Law in Britain Force Bingo Players On to the Web?

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An abundance has been written in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry struggling because of the anti smoking law in Britain. Things have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But can the web variation of this traditional game present a reprieve, or might it not compare to its bricks and mortar relative?

Bingo is an established game normally played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game of late had experienced a recent return in popularity with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo parlors rather than the discos on a Saturday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the enacting of the cigarette ban all over England and Wales.

Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most common locations where players enjoy smoking.

The effects of the anti smoking law can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo parlours. Profits have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did all the players go? Of course they have not given up on this age old game?

The answer is on the web. People realise that they can play bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and in the end, enjoy big prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.

Of course playing on the web will never replace the social portion of going down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of players the rules have left a good many bingo enthusiasts with little choice.