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Might the Smoking Ban in England Drive Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Net?
Much has been written in the papers just a while ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the anti smoking law in Britain. Things have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive aid to assist in keeping the industry afloat. However does the web adaptation of this quintessential game offer a lifeline, or will it in no way compare to its land based kin?
Bingo has been an established game normally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had undergone a recent comeback in popularity with younger members of society deciding to hit the bingo halls rather than the bars on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the enforcement of the anti cigarette law throughout United Kingdom.
No longer will gamblers be permitted to smoke whilst marking numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favored places where many people enjoy smoking.
The effects of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo halls. Players have plunged and the industry is literally struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Certainly they have not abandoned this enduring game?
The answer is on the net. People realise that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a drink and cig and in the end, enjoy monstrous prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course betting on on the web is unlikely to replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of players the law has left many bingo enthusiasts with no option.