An abundance has been reported in the press recently about the bingo industry struggling because of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. But will the online version of this classic game present a lifeline, or might it never compare to its real life peer?
Bingo is an age old game historically enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game of late had witnessed a recent return in popularity with younger men and women deciding to hit the bingo halls instead of the discos on a Saturday night. All this is about to change with the introduction of the anti smoking law around UK.
No more will enthusiasts be allowed to smoke at the same time marking numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public area will not be permitted to allow smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most common areas where players enjoy smoking.
The results of the smoking ban can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo halls. Players have plunged and the industry is absolutely fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Certainly they have not deserted this familiar game?
The answer is on the net. Gamblers know that they can enjoy bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a drink and cigarette and in the end, enjoy big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has happened just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on online will never replace the collective aspect of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of people the law has left a good many bingo players with little choice.