A lot has been written in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry struggling as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big tax cuts to help keep the industry afloat. But does the net version of this classic game offer a salvation, or will it not compare to its land based peer?
Bingo is an established game normally played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game of late had experienced a recent increase in acceptance with younger men and women deciding to visit the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a weekend. This is all about to be destroyed with the legislating of the anti smoking law around England and Wales.
No more will enthusiasts be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most popular places where players enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo halls. Numbers have dropped and the business is literally struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Of course they haven’t cast aside this enduring game?
The answer is on the web. People realise that they can enjoy bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and cig and still have a chance at huge jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course gambling on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social aspect of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of men and women the law has left a good many bingo players with little option.
This entry was posted on November 16, 2015, 4:21 pm and is filed under Bingo. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.