Much has been written in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry being hit as a result of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. But will the web adaptation of this quintessential game present a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its land based peer?
Bingo is an classic game normally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game lately had witnessed a recent resurgence in popularity with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo halls rather than the bars on a Friday night. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the smoking ban throughout England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular places where players like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the anti cigarette law can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo parlors. Players have plunged and the industry is literally fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Of course they haven’t deserted this familiar game?
The answer is on the web. People realise that they can wager on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and cigarette and still enjoy big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course gambling on on the web can never replace the collective part of going down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of men and women the rules have left a number of bingo players with little option.
