Much has been stated in the press not long ago concerning the bingo industry struggling because of the cigarette ban in the UK. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax cuts to help keep the industry afloat. But will the online version of this classic game present a reprieve, or will it in no way compare to its land based peer?
Bingo is an age old game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had witnessed a recent increase in acceptance with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a weekend. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the smoking ban across England and Wales.
Players will no longer be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst marking numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most popular areas where players like to smoke.
The results of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo parlors. Players have dropped and the industry is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Certainly they have not deserted this age old game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers know that they can bet on bingo from their computer while enjoying a drink and cig and still enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on on the internet could never replace the collective portion of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of players the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little choice.