An abundance has been reported in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge aid to assist in keeping the industry alive. However does the web version of this quintessential game present a lifeline, or will it not compare to its land based opposite?
Bingo has been an classic game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game of late had witnessed a recent comeback in appeal with younger people deciding to visit the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the introduction of the anti cigarette law all over England and Wales.
Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes while dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most favorite areas where many people enjoy smoking.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already banned in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the industry is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Obviously they have not cast aside this classic game?
The answer is on the web. People realise that they can enjoy bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and smoke and still have a chance at big cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course wagering on online is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left a number of bingo players with no choice.