An abundance has been stated in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry struggling as a result of the smoking ban in the United Kingdom. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive tax breaks to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. However can the internet adaptation of this quintessential game present a salvation, or might it not compare to its land based relative?
Bingo is an age old game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game recently had undergone a recent resurgence in popularity with younger men and women deciding to go to the bingo parlours rather than the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti smoking law across Britain.
No longer will enthusiasts be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favored locations where folks enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the smoking ban can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo halls. Players have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Certainly they haven’t forgotten this familiar game?
The answer is on the web. People are now realizing that they can play bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cigarette and still have a chance at huge jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course wagering on on the internet can never replace the communal part of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of men and women the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no option.