A lot has been written in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry singing the blues because of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive aid to help keep the businesses alive. But will the online version of this quintessential game provide a lifeline, or will it not compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo is an age old game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game of late had seen a recent resurgence in popularity with younger people opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the legislating of the cigarette ban around Britain.
No more will players be permitted to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most common locations where many people like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo halls. Profits have dropped and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Surely they haven’t cast aside this familiar game?
The answer is on the net. People are now realizing that they can bet on bingo using their computer while enjoying a beer and cig and still enjoy massive prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has happened just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing on the net can never replace the collective part of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little choice.