An abundance has been written in the press recently concerning the bingo industry being hurt because of the cigarette ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax cuts to help keep the industry alive. But does the internet version of this quintessential game offer a salvation, or will it not compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo has been an classic game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game lately had undergone a recent increase in popularity with younger members of society deciding to visit the bingo parlors rather than the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the anti smoking law throughout UK.
No more will enthusiasts be allowed to smoke while marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public areas will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most popular places where people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Profits have plunged and the industry is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Obviously they haven’t cast aside this familiar game?
The answer is on the net. People realize that they can wager on bingo using their computer while enjoying a cocktail and cig and in the end, have a chance at massive jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on on the internet will never replace the social portion of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of people the governing edicts have left a good many bingo players with little choice.
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