A lot has been reported in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded massive tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry alive. But does the net variation of this classic game offer a reprieve, or will it in no way compare to its real life kin?
Bingo is an familiar game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game of late had witnessed a recent return in appeal with younger people deciding to go to the bingo parlours in place of the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enforcement of the smoking ban across United Kingdom.
No more will players be permitted to smoke at the same time marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public locations will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favored areas where folks like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo parlours. Players have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Of course they haven’t forgotten this established game?
The answer is online. Players are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and cig and still enjoy monstrous jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on online is unlikely to replace the social portion of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of men and women the governing edicts have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with little choice.