A lot has been stated in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues because of the smoking ban in Britain. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the web adaptation of this quintessential game offer a salvation, or might it in no way compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo is an established game usually played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had undergone a recent increase in acceptance with younger members of society opting to go to the bingo parlors instead of the clubs on a weekend. This is all about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the anti cigarette law around Britain.
Players will no longer be allowed to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favored places where many people enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the industry is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Obviously they haven’t cast aside this classic game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers are now realizing that they can wager on bingo from their computer while enjoying a drink and fag and still have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course betting on online can never replace the communal portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of men and women the rules have left many bingo enthusiasts with little option.