A lot has been stated in the press recently concerning the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But can the web variation of this traditional game provide a salvation, or might it in no way compare to its real life equivalent?
Bingo is an ancient game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had experienced a recent comeback in appeal with younger members of society opting to hit the bingo parlors instead of the clubs on a Friday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the introduction of the anti cigarette law throughout England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 all public areas will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most common areas where many people enjoy smoking.
The results of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo halls. Players have plummeted and the industry is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Certainly they have not forgotten this established game?
The answer is on the internet. People are now realizing that they can gamble on bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beer and smoke and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course betting on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social part of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of men and women the rules have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with little option.