An abundance has been written in the press not long ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the smoking ban in Britain. Conditions have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses afloat. But will the net variation of this traditional game present a escape, or might it in no way compare to its land based relative?
Bingo is an age old game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had witnessed a recent increase in acceptance with younger men and women opting to visit the bingo parlors rather than the discos on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti smoking law around Britain.
Players will no longer be able to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will not be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favored places where people like to smoke.
The results of the anti smoking law can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo halls. Players have plummeted and the industry is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Certainly they have not deserted this ancient game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realise that they can play bingo from their computer while enjoying a drink and cig and in the end, enjoy massive cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course wagering on on the web is unlikely to replace the social aspect of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a number of bingo players with no alternative.