An abundance has been written in the papers not long ago concerning the bingo industry singing the blues because of the anti smoking law in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for big tax cuts to help keep the industry alive. But does the online version of this traditional game present a escape, or will it in no way compare to its land based relative?
Bingo has been an established game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had witnessed a recent comeback in appeal with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the bars on a weekend. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the anti smoking law around UK.
Players will no longer be allowed to smoke while dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will not be permitted to allow smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favorite places where people like to smoke.
The results of the smoking ban can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Certainly they haven’t deserted this ancient game?
The answer is on the internet. People realise that they can bet on bingo using their computer while enjoying a cocktail and fag and still enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent development and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course playing on the internet could never replace the collective portion of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the law has left a good many bingo enthusiasts with little choice.