A lot has been reported in the papers recently about the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the smoking ban in the UK. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge tax breaks to help keep the businesses alive. But will the web variation of this quintessential game provide a reprieve, or might it never compare to its real life equivalent?
Bingo has been an classic game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had experienced a recent increase in popularity with younger men and women opting to visit the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a Saturday night. This is all about to change with the legislating of the anti smoking law throughout United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public areas will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favored areas where folks like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo parlors. Profits have dropped and the industry is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Surely they have not given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers realise that they can bet on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, enjoy massive jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on online is unlikely to replace the social part of heading over to the bingo hall, but for a group of people the rules have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with little alternative.