Bingo Online - A smoker's paradise

Summary: Bingo online can only benefit from the governments plan to ban smoking!

A smoking ban in the UK in all enclosed public places will take effect from the beginning of 2007, with a complete ban in licensed areas by the end of 2008. The White Paper on Public Health plans (released in February 2006 and can bee seen here http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldbills/076/06076.1-6.html) suggests that most enclosed public areas, including offices and factories, will become smoke free. Only private clubs, where MPs voted to allow smoking, and pubs which do not serve prepared food would be exempt. This means that up to 90% of bars and restaurants will be smoke free within a few years. So how will this White Paper affect the numbers attending bingo halls in the UK long-term, where a substantial percentage of players smoke. Some figures suggest that almost two out of the three million people who regularly play bingo are smokers (according to the Bingo Association). Of those two million, a large majority are women, who will be forced to play their favourite social game without a smoke. Well, the vote on the smoking ban was conducted in the House of Parliament by MPs who, while exempting the 20,000 or so private members clubs, have not exempted the many hundreds of UK bingo halls. The Smoking, Health and Social Care Bill came into effect in Scotland in March 2006 and has already starting to have serious effect on the bingo and casino industries, with 5 major clubs closing down since its implementation. Estimates show that up to 70% of bingo players in Scotland smoke, and bosses are suggesting that most players are turning up later and leaving earlier in order to light up a cigarette, reducing the session times and the average expenditure. While pub owners claim the ban has had little effect, both Mecca Bingo and Carlton say that the ban has hit the industry hard. Early indications show that the ban has led to a definite fall in customers. However numbers attending bingo halls has been steadily declining in the UK since 2000 with only 2.8% of adults attending in 2004. It has been estimated that up to one third of the UK's bingo halls will close due to the ban. This would mean a massive loss to the industry and the