Much has been reported in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit as a result of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for big tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry afloat. However can the net variation of this traditional game present a salvation, or will it not compare to its land based opposite?
Bingo has been an classic game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. In any case the game lately had seen a recent increase in acceptance with younger people deciding to go to the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the legislating of the anti cigarette law around UK.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite locations where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already not permitted in the bingo parlors. Players have plummeted and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they haven’t cast aside this age old game?
The answer is on the net. Players realise that they can enjoy bingo using their computer while enjoying a beer and smoke and still have a chance at massive jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself just about perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course playing on the net is unlikely to replace the collective portion of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of players the governing edicts have left a number of bingo players with little alternative.