A lot has been written in the papers recently about the bingo industry struggling as a consequence of the anti cigarette law in England. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive aid to help keep the industry alive. However will the internet version of this quintessential game offer a salvation, or will it not compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?
Bingo has been an ancient game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game recently had undergone a recent return in appeal with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo parlours in place of the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to change with the enacting of the anti smoking law throughout UK.
No longer will enthusiasts be able to smoke while marking numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favorite locations where players like to smoke.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already not permitted in the bingo parlors. Players have plummeted and the business is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Of course they have not deserted this enduring game?
The answer is on the web. People realize that they can gamble on bingo using their computer while enjoying a cocktail and fag and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the social aspect of going over to the bingo hall, but for a group of people the law has left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little choice.