An abundance has been talked in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Things have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive aid to help keep the industry afloat. But will the online version of this traditional game provide a escape, or might it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo has been an age old game normally played by the "blue rinse" generation. In any case the game lately had experienced a recent resurgence in appeal with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo parlors rather than the clubs on a Saturday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the introduction of the anti smoking law across England and Wales.
Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes while dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favored places where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already not permitted in the bingo parlours. Players have plunged and the industry is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Certainly they haven’t given up on this ancient game?
The answer is online. Players realize that they can gamble on bingo from their computer while enjoying a cocktail and fag and in the end, have a chance at huge jackpots. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course playing on the internet will never replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the law has left a number of bingo players with no choice.