An abundance has been talked in the press not long ago regarding the bingo industry struggling as a consequence of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big tax breaks to help keep the industry afloat. But will the net variation of this traditional game provide a salvation, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar kin?
Bingo is an age old game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. In any case the game lately had witnessed a recent increase in popularity with younger men and women opting to visit the bingo parlours instead of the bars on a Friday night. All this is about to be reversed with the enforcement of the anti cigarette law throughout United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public location will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular places where folks enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the smoking ban can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already banned in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the business is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Certainly they have not given up on this ancient game?
The answer is online. People know that they can play bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cigarette and still have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself almost perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course playing on the web could never replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the rules have left many bingo players with no alternative.