A lot has been reported in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the cigarette ban in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. However can the internet version of this classic game offer a reprieve, or might it in no way compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo is an enduring game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game of late had undergone a recent return in popularity with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo halls rather than the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the enacting of the smoking ban all over Britain.
No longer will enthusiasts be able to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public place will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most common locations where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Profits have plunged and the business is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Certainly they haven’t given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the web. People know that they can play bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and fag and still enjoy huge cash rewards. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course gambling on on the web will never replace the communal portion of heading down to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the rules have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with little alternative.