British Smoking Ban Might Hurt Bingo Halls
Many operators of British bingo halls are afraid that the new anti-smoking legislation, which the government passed and would take effect in the middle of 2007, will cause many players to remain at their homes and play online bingo instead of playing in the traditional bingo halls across the UK.
The new legislation would ban smoking in all clubs, pubs, casinos, restaurants and bingo halls. The fine for bingo operators for an instance of smoking in their hall is set to be 500 Pounds while the fine for the smoker is set to be 50 Pounds.
Many British bingo operators are anxious that tobacco fines, which are in common use by bingo players for more than four decades, would turn players away from bingo halls to their private homes, where they can play online bingo and smoke too. An employee of the Carlton Bingo Club in East Kilbride had stated that "the business won't be the same without smoking".
Mark W. Felten, News Editor. 22/2/2006