A lot has been reported in the papers recently about the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry afloat. But can the internet variation of this quintessential game provide a escape, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo is an established game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game recently had experienced a recent return in acceptance with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the introduction of the cigarette ban around Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes at the same time marking off their numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favored locations where folks like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo halls. Numbers have plummeted and the business is beyond a doubt struggling for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Surely they haven’t forgotten this ancient game?
The answer is online. Gamblers realize that they can bet on bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beer and smoke and still enjoy big jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened just about perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course gambling on on the web will never replace the social part of going over to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the law has left many bingo enthusiasts with little choice.