An abundance has been written in the papers not long ago about the bingo industry being hurt as a result of the cigarette ban in Britain. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. But will the net version of this quintessential game provide a reprieve, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?
Bingo is an ancient game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game of late had seen a recent comeback in appeal with younger members of society deciding to visit the bingo parlours instead of the discos on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the introduction of the anti cigarette law throughout UK.
Players will no longer be able to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. From the summer of 2007 every public place will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most popular areas where many people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo halls. Profits have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Obviously they haven’t cast aside this ancient game?
The answer is on the web. Players realise that they can wager on bingo using their computer whilst 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 playing online could never replace the social aspect of heading down to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of players the rules have left a number of bingo players with no option.