A lot has been written in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive tax cuts to help keep the industry afloat. But can the net variation of this classic game offer a lifeline, or might it never compare to its land based peer?
Bingo has been an established game normally played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game of late had witnessed a recent comeback in appeal with younger people opting to visit the bingo parlours instead of the discos on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the introduction of the anti cigarette law across Britain.
Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes while marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public areas will not be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favorite areas where players like to smoke.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlours. Players have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Obviously they haven’t given up on this enduring game?
The answer is on the web. People are now realizing that they can participate in bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and fag and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course gambling on online is unlikely to replace the social aspect of going over to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of men and women the law has left many bingo players with little alternative.