Much has been talked in the papers not long ago about the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big tax cuts to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. But can the online version of this quintessential game provide a salvation, or might it in no way compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo is an enduring game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had experienced a recent comeback in popularity with younger men and women deciding to hit the bingo halls in place of the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti smoking law all over UK.
No more will gamblers be allowed to smoke whilst marking numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most common locations where folks enjoy smoking.
The results of the anti smoking law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they haven’t deserted this established game?
The answer is on the web. Gamblers are now realizing that they can bet on bingo using their computer while enjoying a cocktail and smoke and in the end, have a chance at massive jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course betting on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social portion of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of men and women the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little option.