Much has been talked in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hit as a result of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for big tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry alive. But can the net variation of this quintessential game present a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo has been an age old game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had seen a recent resurgence in popularity with younger members of society opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the bars on a weekend. This is all about to change with the enacting of the anti smoking law around United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favorite areas where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Numbers have plummeted and the industry is literally fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Of course they have not given up on this familiar game?
The answer is on the internet. People know that they can wager on bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and fag and still have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course betting on online is unlikely to replace the communal portion of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of people the rules have left a number of bingo players with no option.