Much has been written in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry singing the blues because of the smoking ban in Britain. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive tax breaks to help keep the businesses alive. But will the internet adaptation of this classic game present a salvation, or will it in no way compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo has been an ancient game historically enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game lately had experienced a recent return in acceptance with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo halls rather than the bars on a Friday night. All this is about to change with the enforcement of the anti cigarette law all over England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while dabbing numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public locations will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most common areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the smoking ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo parlours. Profits have plunged and the industry is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Of course they haven’t given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the net. People are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and cig and in the end, have a chance at huge cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course gambling on online can never replace the social aspect of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a group of people the law has left a good many bingo enthusiasts with no choice.