Much has been talked in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the anti smoking law in England. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However can the web version of this traditional game offer a salvation, or might it not compare to its real life kin?
Bingo has been an age old game generally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. In any case the game recently had witnessed a recent resurgence in appeal with younger people opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the anti cigarette law across Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst marking numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 all public places will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favorite places where players like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo halls. Players have dropped and the business is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they haven’t deserted this ancient game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers realize that they can enjoy bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a cocktail and smoke and still enjoy big jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing online is unlikely to replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left a good many bingo players with no choice.