Much has been talked in the papers just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit because of the smoking ban in the United Kingdom. Things have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However will the net adaptation of this classic game present a salvation, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar opposite?
Bingo is an familiar game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game recently had witnessed a recent return in popularity with younger people opting to visit the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a Saturday night. All this is about to be reversed with the introduction of the smoking ban across UK.
Players will no longer be able to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will not be permitted to allow smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favorite places where players like to smoke.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already illegal in the bingo halls. Profits have dropped and the business is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Of course they haven’t given up on this classic game?
The answer is on the web. People realise that they can participate in bingo using their computer while enjoying a beverage and cig and in the end, have a chance at huge cash rewards. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course gambling on on the web is unlikely to replace the communal portion of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a group of people the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no choice.
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