Much has been talked in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the smoking ban in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry alive. However will the online variation of this traditional game present a lifeline, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo is an classic game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game of late had undergone a recent increase in appeal with younger people deciding to visit the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Saturday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enforcement of the anti smoking law all over Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while marking numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public location will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite places where people like to smoke.
The results of the smoking ban can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already barred in the bingo parlours. Players have dropped and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Obviously they haven’t cast aside this familiar game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers realise that they can bet on bingo from their computer while enjoying a drink and fag and still have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course playing online is unlikely to replace the social portion of heading down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of people the rules have left a lot of bingo players with little option.
