A lot has been written in the press just a while ago about the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded big tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses alive. But does the internet adaptation of this traditional game present a escape, or will it not compare to its real life kin?
Bingo has been an enduring game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game lately had undergone a recent return in appeal with younger people opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the bars on a Friday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enforcement of the smoking ban across Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while marking numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public places will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favored areas where many people like to smoke.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo halls. Profits have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for its life. But where have all the players gone? Surely they have not given up on this established game?
The answer is on the internet. Players are now realizing that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and still enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on on the internet could never replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of players the law has left many bingo enthusiasts with little option.