Much has been written in the press not long ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the smoking ban in the United Kingdom. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested massive aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. But can the internet adaptation of this quintessential game provide a salvation, or might it not compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo has been an age old game usually enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had seen a recent increase in appeal with younger men and women deciding to hit the bingo parlours rather than the bars on a Saturday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the anti smoking law across United Kingdom.
No longer will enthusiasts be allowed to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 all public areas will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular locations where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlours. Numbers have dropped and the industry is beyond a doubt struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Certainly they have not abandoned this enduring game?
The answer is on the net. Players know that they can bet on bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and cig and still enjoy massive prizes. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on online could never replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of men and women the law has left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.
