An abundance has been written in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt because of the smoking ban in England. Things have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But can the online variation of this classic game present a salvation, or might it never compare to its real life relative?
Bingo has been an classic game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game recently had witnessed a recent comeback in acceptance with younger members of society deciding to go to the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to be reversed with the legislating of the anti cigarette law all over Britain.
Players will no longer be able to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular locations where people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already illegal in the bingo parlors. Players have dropped and the industry is absolutely struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Obviously they haven’t given up on this familiar game?
The answer is online. People realise that they can play bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and cigarette and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course wagering on on the internet can never replace the communal portion of going down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo players with no option.