A lot has been talked in the press not long ago about the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive aid to assist in keeping the industry alive. However does the web version of this quintessential game present a reprieve, or might it in no way compare to its land based relative?
Bingo has been an ancient game normally played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game lately had witnessed a recent comeback in popularity with younger people deciding to hit the bingo parlours rather than the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to change with the introduction of the cigarette ban across Britain.
Players will no longer be allowed to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public place will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most popular locations where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already not allowed in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the business is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Of course they haven’t deserted this age old game?
The answer is on the net. Players realize that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and fag and in the end, enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent development and has timed itself almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course betting on online is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of people the governing edicts have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with no option.