A lot has been written in the press recently regarding the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive aid to assist in keeping the businesses alive. But does the online version of this quintessential game provide a lifeline, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?
Bingo has been an classic game usually enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game recently had seen a recent increase in appeal with younger people opting to hit the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the smoking ban all over England and Wales.
No more will gamblers be permitted to puff on cigarettes while dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public locations will not be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most common places where players enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlours. Profits have plunged and the industry is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Of course they haven’t abandoned this familiar game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers know that they can wager on bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and smoke and still have a chance at massive jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the social aspect of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with little option.