Much has been reported in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry being hit because of the anti smoking law in the UK. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded big aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However can the net version of this traditional game provide a reprieve, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar opposite?
Bingo is an familiar game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had seen a recent increase in appeal with younger men and women deciding to go to the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a Saturday night. This is all about to change with the enacting of the cigarette ban throughout United Kingdom.
No longer will players be able to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 all public locations will not be permitted to allow smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular places where many people like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the anti cigarette law can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo halls. Numbers have plummeted and the business is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Of course they haven’t given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realise that they can play bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cigarette and in the end, have a chance at massive jackpots. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course betting on on the web could never replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of men and women the rules have left many bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.