Much has been talked in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge tax cuts to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the internet version of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or might it not compare to its land based opposite?
Bingo is an established game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game lately had witnessed a recent return in appeal with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a Friday night. All this is about to be reversed with the enacting of the cigarette ban all over United Kingdom.
No more will players be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favored places where players like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo halls. Profits have dropped and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Of course they haven’t abandoned this age old game?
The answer is on the net. Players know that they can bet on bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and cig and still enjoy big prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course playing online will never replace the social portion of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of people the law has left a good many bingo players with no choice.