Much has been stated in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry struggling because of the anti cigarette law in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to help keep the industry alive. But does the web variation of this traditional game provide a reprieve, or might it not compare to its bricks and mortar opposite?
Bingo has been an familiar game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game recently had seen a recent comeback in acceptance with younger people deciding to visit the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the enforcement of the smoking ban across United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 all public places will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most popular locations where people like to smoke.
The outcome of the anti cigarette law can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo halls. Numbers have plunged and the industry is beyond a doubt struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Certainly they haven’t deserted this ancient game?
The answer is online. Players are now realizing that they can wager on bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a drink and smoke and still have a chance at big jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the web is unlikely to replace the social part of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.