Much has been written in the press not long ago about the bingo industry singing the blues because of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded massive aid to help keep the industry afloat. However will the internet version of this classic game present a reprieve, or will it not compare to its real life equivalent?
Bingo has been an enduring game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game of late had seen a recent comeback in acceptance with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo halls instead of the bars on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the legislating of the smoking ban across England and Wales.
No more will enthusiasts be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favorite areas where players like to smoke.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already not allowed in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Obviously they have not given up on this enduring game?
The answer is online. People know that they can participate in bingo using their computer while enjoying a drink and fag and still have a chance at big jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself just about perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course playing on the internet is unlikely to replace the collective portion of going down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a good many bingo players with little alternative.