Bingo profits to go up in smoke?

Will land based Bingo halls lose out to online bingo when the smoking ban comes into affect in the summer of 2007?

Online bingo playing could be due for a major boost next year. With the smoking ban in England just around the corner, how will players deal with the new legislation? Will they leave the halls and switch to playing bingo online or continue to suffer in silence and play bingo in a smoke free zone. Will there be an influx of new players who will welcome the new proposal and look forward to playing in a healthier environment.

Bingo halls have been a place were people of all ages and types visit, can meet face to face with real people and open up a new social circle, with the majority being older women. But could this all change when the new smoking ban in public places starts to hit bingo halls and put an end to a tradition of loyal smoking bingo players who rely on their weekly social event to play, chat have fun and hopefully win some money. There only alternative is to join an online bingo casino and meet with their bingo buddies via chat rooms, but only if they have a computer and internet access at home. Those without a PC would need to purchase one and join an ISP, which could be costly and daunting for the older people, as they would need to learn how to use a PC and learn how to play online bingo. Could all this lead to some players giving up completely?

An interesting fact to come to light from the players point of view is that by having to go to outside for a smoke and not being able to play at the table has saved them some money. Good news for the player but bad news for the bingo hall.

The legislation must be good news for online bingo casinos, who are expecting a potential increase of new players signing up and boosting the ever-increasing online bingo market. But bad news maybe for land based bingo halls as many halls in Scotland have been affected since the ban started and have seen their revenues and customers diminish.

There are interesting times ahead for both parties and it will be some time before we see what effect the smoking ban has on the bingo world in England and Wales, and who will be better off financially in the long run. To keep up to date on this subject visit http://www.bingonline.co.uk for further details.

About the Author:
Maxx is the Senior Web Designer of the Bingonline web development team