An abundance has been talked in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit because of the anti smoking law in the UK. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry afloat. However does the internet version of this classic game offer a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its real life equivalent?
Bingo is an established game usually played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game recently had experienced a recent increase in popularity with younger men and women deciding to go to the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the enacting of the smoking ban throughout Britain.
No longer will gamblers be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public areas will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most common places where players like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the smoking ban can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already barred in the bingo halls. Numbers have plummeted and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Surely they haven’t forgotten this established game?
The answer is on the web. Gamblers realize that they can wager on bingo from their computer while enjoying a beverage and smoke and in the end, have a chance at massive cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on online can never replace the collective portion of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the governing edicts have left many bingo players with little choice.