An abundance has been reported in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hurt as a consequence of the anti cigarette law in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry afloat. However will the online variation of this quintessential game offer a salvation, or might it not compare to its land based relative?
Bingo has been an enduring game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had undergone a recent resurgence in acceptance with younger people opting to go to the bingo parlors in place of the clubs on a Saturday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the smoking ban around England and Wales.
No longer will gamblers be permitted to smoke whilst marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public location will not be permitted to allow smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most common areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo halls. Players have plunged and the industry is beyond a doubt fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Of course they haven’t deserted this ancient game?
The answer is online. People are now realizing that they can play bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and smoke and in the end, have a chance at monstrous cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on online is unlikely to replace the communal aspect of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the law has left a good many bingo enthusiasts with no option.