Much has been written in the press not long ago concerning the bingo industry struggling as a result of the anti cigarette law in the UK. Conditions have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge tax breaks to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. But can the net adaptation of this traditional game present a lifeline, or might it not compare to its real life peer?
Bingo is an age old game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had experienced a recent increase in appeal with younger people opting to visit the bingo parlours instead of the discos on a weekend. All this is about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti cigarette law around UK.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes whilst dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 all public areas will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the smoking ban can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already illegal in the bingo parlours. Profits have plunged and the industry is literally fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Surely they haven’t forgotten this familiar game?
The answer is online. People realize that they can bet on bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, enjoy huge prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on on the net will never replace the collective aspect of heading over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the governing edicts have left a good many bingo players with no option.