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Bingo a Cure For Depression?

It is well known that a large portion of the players at land based bingo clubs are pensioners. Many pensioners use bingo not only as entertainment but as an opportunity for social interaction with others. Smoking bans and a government policy of double taxation has forced many long established bingo clubs to close leaving many pensioners without their usual entertainment. Several studies have pointed out the fact that playing bingo keeps the mind sharp and can even delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Bingo requires quick physical and mental reactions. As anyone who has been to a bingo club knows, most players are playing several bingo cards simultaneously which requires a great deal of mental agility and concentration. Recently a pensioner from Derby revealed that playing bingo helped her to overcome severe depression.

In a newspaper interview the 67 year old pensioner described the crippling effects of depression and how playing bingo turned her life around. Jill Gemmell of derby described how severe depression left her feeling isolated and how playing bingo helped her to cope with her depression. In the interview Gemmell recalled; “I was very down and rarely left the house. “Then a friend of mine took me along to one of the bingo sessions and I loved it. I joined in more and more and, when one of the committee members resigned, I offered to step in.” Thanks to her friend and bingo Gemmell is now an active member of the Alvaston and Boulton Old People’s Welfare Club in Derby. The club which has about 100 members sponsors bingo games on Tuesdays and Thursdays in addition to a wide variety of activities for pensioners.

The bingo games are now threatened by the town council’s search for cost cutting measures which could affect funding for the club. Some council members believe the games should be scrapped and that pensioners should play bingo at clubs sponsored by commercial operators. Many pensioners in rural areas are facing similar situations due to the ongoing global recession.

Many pensioners who are computer literate have made the switch to internet bingo. While land based bingo clubs are closing across the country internet bingo is thriving in the midst of the worst recession since the post war era. Internet bingo sites are locked in fierce competition for players and are offering ever increasing bingo bonuses. A bingo sign up bonus can enable players to double and even triple their initial deposits. For pensioners facing the closure of their favorite bingo clubs viable solution.

Bingo Play

Bingo has been a popular game around the world for decades. The modern version of the game was introduced in the United States in the 1920’s and since them millions of bingo fanatics play bingo regularly at land based bingo clubs, charitable and veterans organizations and online. During the post World War Two era bingo was introduced into the UK and since then the UK has been the world’s largest bingo market. Industry giants such as Mecca and Gala opened bingo clubs throughout the UK with great success. High taxation and the recent smoking ban have hit the land based bingo industry in the UK hard resulting in the closure of several bingo clubs and job losses for club workers. To shore up profits giants like Mecca and Gala established websites online, joining the thriving UK internet bingo industry. Those who love bingo play often and this has helped the online bingo industry to thrive.

In rural areas bingo is an important social activity especially for pensioners who value the opportunity to get out of the house and socialize. Most pensioners love bingo, play often, and love the game. The closure of bingo clubs has left some communities without opportunities for socialization for older residents. Many of these former land based bingo players have gone online. One study showed that approximately 63% of all bingo players are smokers and many smokers who found themselves shut out of their favorite bingo clubs turned to internet bingo.

No special computer skills are necessary to play bingo on the internet. Internet bingo has attracted a whole new generation of bingo players. Younger tech savvy bingo players are destroying the stereotype of the typical bingo player. Most online bingo players are now females in their 20’s and early 30’s. Online bingo is a perfect fit for busy moms who cannot make the trip to the local bingo hall without a lot of advance preparation. There are no transportation or babysitting expenses and busy women can log on to their favorite bingo site whenever they have spare time and play a few games. Bust moms who love bingo play whenever they can or whenever it is convenient.

There are also several bingo sites accepting US players. Most of these sites offer a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal options including credit and debit cards and some online payment services. Thanks to rapid advances in technology the online bingo industry will be with us well into the 21st century and beyond!