Online Bingo News
Bingo players take to sea to thwart smoking ban
17/10/2007Over 450 bingo players took part in the two-night trip from Hull to Rotterdam, allowing them to ‘light up’ because the controversial smoking ban does not apply to public places on ships.
And, the event, organised by online gaming company Foxy Bingo, was such a success they are already looking to arrange more cruises.
Foxy’s Bingo Manageress Helen Rooney said: “As soon as the players took their place at the table everyone was ‘lighting up’. Rather than talking about what jackpots were on offer they spent the whole evening talking about how great it was to be able to have a fag and play the nation’s favourite game. It shows how frustrated many bingo players are at the Government’s decision to ban smoking in public places.”
Among the players, Julie Spicer, from Morden, London, said: “Bingo is a social game. As a social smoker, I found it great to be able to smoke and play at the same time.”
Julie, a 31-year-old Travel Consultant, added; “Before the trip we were all chatting on-line, joking that we’d have to take heavy coats to smoke out on deck. It was excellent to be able to smoke inside.”
Jo Titchmarsh, one of the hosts of Foxy’s online chat rooms, said: “One of the great things which have attracted people to online bingo is that players can light up in their own homes while taking part in games.”
She added: “A lot of players were really surprised – and delighted – when they discovered they’d be able to smoke during the cruise without leaving their tables.”
Foxy, which organised the mini cruise in partnership with ferry operator P&O, believes the trip was the first of its kind. Discussions are now getting underway to make the trip a regular event.
Patrick Southon, Managing Director of Foxy Bingo’s parent company Cashcade,
said: “We were absolutely delighted by the response of players to the inaugural mini-cruise which has reinforced Foxy Bingo’s position as the leader in its market. This was a fantastic event which we will look to repeat in the future.”
