A lot has been reported in the papers not long ago regarding the bingo industry being hurt because of the anti cigarette law in Britain. Things have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses alive. But will the internet adaptation of this quintessential game offer a reprieve, or will it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo has been an classic game normally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game recently had witnessed a recent return in appeal with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo parlors in place of the bars on a weekend. This is all about to change with the introduction of the anti smoking law across England and Wales.
No more will players be allowed to smoke at the same time dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public area will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most popular locations where players like to puff on cigarettes.
The outcome of the anti cigarette law can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already not permitted in the bingo parlours. Numbers have plunged and the business is beyond a doubt struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Surely they haven’t abandoned this established game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers are now realizing that they can wager on bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, have a chance at big prizes. This is a recent development and has happened just about perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course playing on the net can never replace the communal part of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of men and women the law has left a good many bingo players with no alternative.
