A lot has been stated in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt because of the cigarette ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses afloat. However does the web version of this traditional game present a reprieve, or will it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar opposite?
Bingo has been an enduring game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game lately had seen a recent return in appeal with younger people opting to go to the bingo halls instead of the discos on a weekend. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the legislating of the cigarette ban across UK.
No longer will gamblers be allowed to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favorite places where people like to smoke.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo parlours. Profits have plunged and the business is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they have not forgotten this established game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers know that they can gamble on bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and cigarette and in the end, have a chance at massive cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course betting on on the net is unlikely to replace the communal part of going over to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of men and women the rules have left a number of bingo players with little option.