An abundance has been written in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the cigarette ban in England. Things have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge tax cuts to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. However will the online version of this classic game provide a lifeline, or will it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo has been an familiar game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game recently had seen a recent resurgence in acceptance with younger members of society deciding to visit the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the enacting of the cigarette ban across UK.
No longer will gamblers be permitted to smoke at the same time dabbing numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public locations will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favored locations where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already illegal in the bingo parlors. Players have plummeted and the industry is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Obviously they haven’t cast aside this age old game?
The answer is online. Gamblers realise that they can play bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and fag and in the end, enjoy big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has happened just about perfectly with the anti cigarette law.
Of course betting on online can never replace the communal aspect of heading over to the bingo hall, but for a group of men and women the rules have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with little alternative.
