An abundance has been reported in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hurt because of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax breaks to help keep the businesses alive. But can the web adaptation of this classic game offer a lifeline, or might it never compare to its real life equivalent?
Bingo is an familiar game normally played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game recently had experienced a recent increase in popularity with younger people opting to visit the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the introduction of the smoking ban all over United Kingdom.
No more will enthusiasts be able to smoke while marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public area will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favored places where many people like to smoke.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already banned in the bingo parlours. Players have plummeted and the business is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Certainly they haven’t abandoned this ancient game?
The answer is online. Players realise that they can participate in bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and cig and still have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing on the internet could never replace the communal part of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the rules have left many bingo players with no choice.