A lot has been written in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the cigarette ban in Britain. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax cuts to help keep the businesses alive. But will the internet variation of this quintessential game provide a reprieve, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar kin?
Bingo has been an classic game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had undergone a recent increase in appeal with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo halls rather than the bars on a weekend. All this is about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti smoking law throughout Britain.
No longer will gamblers be able to smoke while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular locations where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo halls. Players have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Of course they haven’t given up on this age old game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realize that they can participate in bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a drink and smoke and in the end, enjoy huge cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course wagering on online is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of going over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no option.