Much has been stated in the press not long ago concerning the bingo industry singing the blues because of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. However can the net variation of this classic game provide a salvation, or will it never compare to its land based opposite?
Bingo has been an established game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game of late had undergone a recent return in acceptance with younger men and women deciding to go to the bingo halls instead of the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enacting of the smoking ban around England and Wales.
No longer will enthusiasts be allowed to puff on cigarettes at the same time marking numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite locations where players like to smoke.
The results of the anti cigarette law can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already not allowed in the bingo parlours. Numbers have plunged and the business is literally fighting for its life. But where did all the players go? Obviously they haven’t abandoned this enduring game?
The answer is on the internet. Players are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo from their computer while enjoying a beverage and smoke and still enjoy massive jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social part of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of players the governing edicts have left many bingo players with no option.