Much has been written in the press recently regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the anti cigarette law in England. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big aid to help keep the businesses afloat. But will the internet variation of this traditional game offer a salvation, or will it in no way compare to its real life kin?
Bingo is an established game usually played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had experienced a recent return in popularity with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo halls rather than the discos on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the enacting of the cigarette ban throughout Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public place will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favorite locations where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo halls. Profits have dropped and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Obviously they have not cast aside this established game?
The answer is on the web. Gamblers know that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and cig and still have a chance at monstrous prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course playing online could never replace the collective aspect of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the governing edicts have left a number of bingo players with little alternative.