A lot has been stated in the press recently concerning the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the anti cigarette law in the United Kingdom. Things have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But can the internet adaptation of this classic game offer a reprieve, or will it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar opposite?
Bingo is an familiar game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game recently had undergone a recent return in acceptance with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo parlours rather than the bars on a weekend. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the anti cigarette law across UK.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while marking numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public area will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favorite places where players enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the industry is beyond a doubt fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Obviously they have not abandoned this established game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers realise that they can play bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beer and smoke and in the end, enjoy huge prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened almost perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course wagering on on the net can never replace the communal portion of going over to the bingo hall, but for a group of people the law has left many bingo enthusiasts with little alternative.