A lot has been stated in the press recently about the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the smoking ban in England. Conditions have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big tax breaks to assist in keeping the businesses alive. But will the net adaptation of this traditional game offer a reprieve, or might it not compare to its land based peer?
Bingo has been an familiar game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had undergone a recent return in popularity with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo halls instead of the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the anti smoking law around England and Wales.
No more will enthusiasts be permitted to smoke while marking numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public area will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most favorite areas where people like to smoke.
The results of the cigarette ban can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already barred in the bingo parlors. Numbers have plunged and the business is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Surely they haven’t cast aside this classic game?
The answer is on the web. People know that they can wager on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and cigarette and still enjoy monstrous prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on online is unlikely to replace the social portion of going over to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of players the law has left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little option.