A lot has been written in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the anti smoking law in the UK. Things have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However will the internet variation of this classic game present a salvation, or will it not compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo is an enduring game normally played by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game of late had witnessed a recent increase in popularity with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a Saturday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the enacting of the cigarette ban throughout England and Wales.
No longer will enthusiasts be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public location will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favored locations where many people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlors. Profits have plunged and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Certainly they haven’t abandoned this familiar game?
The answer is online. Players know that they can enjoy bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and cig and still have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself almost perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course gambling on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social aspect of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a group of people the rules have left many bingo players with little alternative.