Much has been reported in the papers not long ago about the bingo industry singing the blues because of the smoking ban in Britain. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge tax breaks to help keep the businesses afloat. However does the web variation of this classic game present a escape, or will it never compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo is an ancient game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had experienced a recent increase in appeal with younger men and women deciding to visit the bingo parlors instead of the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to change with the enforcement of the anti smoking law throughout United Kingdom.
No longer will enthusiasts be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favored places where many people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo halls. Numbers have plummeted and the business is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Of course they haven’t abandoned this familiar game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers know that they can bet on bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beer and fag and still enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the internet is unlikely to replace the collective part of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo players with no choice.