Will the Anti Cigarette Law in Britain Force Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Net?
A lot has been reported in the press recently about the bingo industry being hit as a result of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded big aid to assist in keeping the industry alive. But can the online adaptation of this traditional game offer a escape, or might it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?
Bingo is an enduring game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game lately had experienced a recent resurgence in popularity with younger men and women deciding to go to the bingo parlours instead of the bars on a Friday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the enacting of the smoking ban all over England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public places will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favorite locations where people like to smoke.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the industry is literally struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Certainly they have not given up on this enduring game?
The answer is on the net. Players realize that they can bet on bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and cigarette and still enjoy big cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course playing on the net is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo players with little choice.
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