A lot has been reported in the press just a while ago about the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the anti cigarette law in Britain. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry alive. However does the web variation of this traditional game offer a salvation, or will it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar relative?
Bingo has been an ancient game normally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game of late had seen a recent increase in appeal with younger people deciding to hit the bingo halls instead of the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enforcement of the anti cigarette law across England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public location will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favorite places where players like to smoke.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo halls. Profits have plunged and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they have not cast aside this ancient game?
The answer is online. People realise that they can play bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and still have a chance at massive jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened just about perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course playing on the net is unlikely to replace the social portion of heading over 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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