Much has been stated in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the cigarette ban in Britain. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. However will the internet variation of this traditional game offer a escape, or will it in no way compare to its land based relative?
Bingo has been an classic game normally played by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game lately had seen a recent resurgence in popularity with younger members of society deciding to go to the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a weekend. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the anti smoking law across UK.
Players will no longer be allowed to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most common locations where people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo halls. Numbers have dropped and the industry is beyond a doubt struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Certainly they have not deserted this age old game?
The answer is on the net. People realise that they can wager on bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course betting on on the internet will never replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of people the rules have left a lot of bingo players with little alternative.