A lot has been written in the press recently regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the anti cigarette law in the UK. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded massive tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But will the internet adaptation of this traditional game present a salvation, or will it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar kin?
Bingo has been an classic game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had seen a recent return in popularity with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a Friday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the anti smoking law all over UK.
No more will gamblers be able to smoke at the same time dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most favorite areas where players enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo halls. Profits have plunged and the business is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they haven’t forgotten this classic game?
The answer is on the web. Gamblers are now realizing that they can play bingo from their computer while enjoying a cocktail and fag and still enjoy big prizes. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing on the web is unlikely to replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of players the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little option.