Much has been reported in the papers just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hit because of the anti smoking law in England. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses afloat. However does the net version of this classic game present a reprieve, or will it not compare to its land based opposite?
Bingo has been an age old game usually enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. In any case the game of late had seen a recent return in acceptance with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a Saturday night. All this is about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti cigarette law throughout England and Wales.
No longer will enthusiasts be allowed to smoke at the same time marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular places where folks enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo halls. Numbers have plunged and the business is literally fighting for its life. But where did the players go? Surely they haven’t cast aside this enduring game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realise that they can enjoy bingo from their computer while enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and in the end, have a chance at massive cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course betting on on the web is unlikely to replace the communal aspect of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no choice.