Much has been stated in the papers just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hit as a consequence of the cigarette ban in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However does the internet adaptation of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its real life peer?
Bingo is an enduring game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game lately had witnessed a recent increase in popularity with younger members of society deciding to go to the bingo parlours rather than the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the introduction of the cigarette ban around England and Wales.
Players will no longer be allowed to smoke while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most popular places where people enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlors. Numbers have plummeted and the industry is literally fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Certainly they have not deserted this ancient game?
The answer is online. Gamblers realise that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and smoke and in the end, enjoy huge prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on smoking.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the communal portion of heading down to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of people the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with little option.