An abundance has been talked in the press not long ago about the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the cigarette ban in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax breaks to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. However will the net version of this classic game present a reprieve, or might it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo is an age old game historically enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had seen a recent return in appeal with younger people opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to be reversed with the legislating of the anti cigarette law all over United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be able to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public places will not be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite locations where folks like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the industry is absolutely struggling for its life. But where did the players go? Obviously they haven’t abandoned this established game?
The answer is on the internet. Players know that they can enjoy bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and smoke and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course gambling on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social aspect of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of players the rules have left many bingo players with no alternative.