Much has been written in the press not long ago concerning the bingo industry being hit as a result of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive tax cuts to help keep the industry afloat. However does the online variation of this quintessential game provide a reprieve, or might it in no way compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo has been an enduring game historically enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had witnessed a recent increase in appeal with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo halls rather than the discos on a weekend. This is all about to be destroyed with the introduction of the cigarette ban across England and Wales.
Players will no longer be able to smoke while marking numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 all public places will not be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favored areas where players enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo parlours. Numbers have plummeted and the business is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Certainly they haven’t given up on this age old game?
The answer is online. Players realise that they can wager on bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and still have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing on the net will never replace the collective part of going down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of players the rules have left many bingo enthusiasts with little option.