Could the Cigarette Ban in the United Kingdom Force Bingo Players Online?
Much has been talked in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the cigarette ban in England. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded massive aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. But does the web variation of this traditional game provide a salvation, or will it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?
Bingo is an classic game historically enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game of late had undergone a recent increase in popularity with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the introduction of the anti smoking law around Britain.
No more will enthusiasts be able to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public locations will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most common areas where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the industry is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Obviously they haven’t abandoned this familiar game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers are now realizing that they can gamble on bingo from their computer while enjoying a drink and smoke and still have a chance at huge cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on on the net is unlikely to replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of men and women the law has left a lot of bingo players with little choice.
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