Much has been written in the press not long ago about the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the cigarette ban in Britain. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. However can the online adaptation of this quintessential game provide a salvation, or will it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo is an ancient game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game recently had witnessed a recent resurgence in appeal with younger people deciding to go to the bingo parlors rather than the clubs on a Saturday night. All this is about to change with the introduction of the smoking ban across United Kingdom.
No more will players be permitted to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public area will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favored areas where folks like to smoke.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already barred in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the business is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Certainly they haven’t forgotten this familiar game?
The answer is online. People know that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a beer and cigarette and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on online will never replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the law has left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no option.
