An abundance has been written in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry struggling as a consequence of the anti cigarette law in Britain. Conditions have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded massive aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the net adaptation of this traditional game provide a reprieve, or might it never compare to its land based relative?
Bingo has been an established game normally played by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game recently had seen a recent resurgence in appeal with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the introduction of the cigarette ban around United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke at the same time marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 all public areas will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most popular places where players like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Players have dropped and the business is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Obviously they haven’t forgotten this enduring game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers realise that they can participate in bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and smoke and still enjoy huge cash rewards. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course betting on on the net will never replace the communal portion of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no option.