A lot has been stated in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But can the web variation of this traditional game present a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar relative?
Bingo is an ancient game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game lately had experienced a recent increase in appeal with younger men and women deciding to hit the bingo parlors instead of the discos on a Saturday night. This is all about to change with the introduction of the anti smoking law all over United Kingdom.
No more will players be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most common places where folks like to smoke.
The results of the anti smoking law can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Numbers have plummeted and the industry is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Surely they have not deserted this familiar game?
The answer is online. Players are now realizing that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a cocktail and smoke and still have a chance at monstrous prizes. This is a recent development and has happened just about perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course gambling on online is unlikely to replace the social part of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.