Much has been reported in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the anti smoking law in England. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge aid to help keep the businesses afloat. But can the net variation of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo is an established game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had undergone a recent return in popularity with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo parlors rather than the clubs on a Friday night. All this is about to be reversed with the legislating of the anti smoking law throughout UK.
No more will gamblers be allowed to puff on cigarettes while marking numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular areas where folks enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo halls. Profits have dropped and the industry is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Certainly they haven’t cast aside this age old game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realise that they can bet on bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cigarette and in the end, enjoy monstrous prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the communal aspect of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a good many bingo enthusiasts with no choice.
