A lot has been reported in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues because of the anti smoking law in England. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded big tax breaks to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. But will the net variation of this quintessential game offer a escape, or will it not compare to its bricks and mortar relative?
Bingo has been an enduring game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game of late had seen a recent increase in appeal with younger members of society opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the clubs on a weekend. All this is about to change with the enforcement of the anti smoking law all over United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be able to smoke while marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 every public area will not be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular areas where people like to smoke.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlours. Numbers have plunged and the industry is beyond a doubt struggling for its life. But where have the players gone? Obviously they have not given up on this classic game?
The answer is on the net. People realise that they can wager on bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and still have a chance at massive prizes. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the social part of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of men and women the governing edicts have left many bingo enthusiasts with little choice.