An abundance has been reported in the press not long ago regarding the bingo industry struggling as a result of the cigarette ban in the United Kingdom. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses afloat. However does the internet variation of this classic game offer a escape, or will it in no way compare to its real life relative?
Bingo is an enduring game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game of late had undergone a recent resurgence in acceptance with younger people deciding to go to the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a weekend. All this is about to change with the introduction of the anti cigarette law across UK.
No more will enthusiasts be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public place will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most popular areas where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Certainly they have not deserted this ancient game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers know that they can enjoy bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and fag and still have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on on the net is unlikely to replace the communal portion of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo players with little choice.