A lot has been reported in the press not long ago about the bingo industry struggling as a result of the smoking ban in England. Things have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry alive. But will the web version of this traditional game offer a salvation, or will it never compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo is an age old game usually enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. In any case the game of late had witnessed a recent return in popularity with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo parlours instead of the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the anti cigarette law across United Kingdom.
No longer will enthusiasts be able to smoke whilst marking numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public location will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favorite areas where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the anti smoking law can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already not permitted in the bingo halls. Players have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where did all the players go? Of course they have not forgotten this age old game?
The answer is on the net. Players realize that they can wager on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, enjoy big cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course wagering on on the web is unlikely to replace the communal part of going over to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the law has left a number of bingo players with little alternative.
