An abundance has been written in the press recently concerning the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the cigarette ban in the UK. Things have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. However can the internet version of this traditional game present a reprieve, or will it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar kin?
Bingo is an ancient game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had witnessed a recent increase in popularity with younger people deciding to go to the bingo parlors instead of the discos on a Saturday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the anti smoking law all over UK.
No more will gamblers be able to puff on cigarettes at the same time marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular places where folks enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo parlors. Players have plummeted and the business is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Surely they haven’t deserted this enduring game?
The answer is on the web. Players know that they can enjoy bingo from their computer while enjoying a cocktail and smoke and still enjoy big prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left many bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.