An abundance has been written in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive aid to assist in keeping the businesses afloat. But will the online adaptation of this classic game present a escape, or will it in no way compare to its land based kin?
Bingo is an classic game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game recently had undergone a recent increase in popularity with younger men and women deciding to visit the bingo halls rather than the discos on a weekend. All this is about to change with the legislating of the anti smoking law across Britain.
Players will no longer be able to smoke while dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most popular locations where folks like to smoke.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo halls. Numbers have plunged and the business is literally fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Of course they haven’t abandoned this ancient game?
The answer is on the internet. Players know that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beer and smoke and in the end, enjoy massive cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course playing on the web is unlikely to replace the communal aspect of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of players the rules have left many bingo players with no alternative.
