Much has been talked in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry being hurt because of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive aid to help keep the businesses afloat. However does the net variation of this classic game offer a reprieve, or might it not compare to its land based peer?
Bingo is an familiar game usually played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game of late had experienced a recent return in appeal with younger people deciding to go to the bingo parlours in place of the discos on a Saturday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the anti cigarette law across Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public locations will not be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite locations where people enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the anti cigarette law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo halls. Profits have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Certainly they have not given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the net. People realise that they can wager on bingo from their computer while enjoying a beverage and fag and still have a chance at monstrous prizes. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on on the web is unlikely to replace the collective portion of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of people the law has left a lot of bingo players with no option.