Much has been reported in the papers recently about the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Things have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. However does the online version of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or will it not compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo is an age old game normally played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game lately had experienced a recent resurgence in appeal with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the legislating of the cigarette ban across UK.
No more will enthusiasts be permitted to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public areas will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favored places where many people like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already not allowed in the bingo parlors. Numbers have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Of course they have not cast aside this ancient game?
The answer is on the web. People realize that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a beer and fag and still enjoy massive jackpots. This is a recent development and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course betting on on the web is unlikely to replace the collective portion of heading down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of people the rules have left a lot of bingo players with little choice.