Much has been stated in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the anti smoking law in the United Kingdom. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge tax breaks to assist in keeping the businesses afloat. However will the web version of this classic game provide a lifeline, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar peer?
Bingo has been an familiar game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game recently had seen a recent increase in popularity with younger people deciding to hit the bingo halls rather than the bars on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the legislating of the anti cigarette law all over United Kingdom.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 every public location will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite areas where many people like to smoke.
The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the industry is absolutely struggling for its life. But where did the players go? Obviously they haven’t cast aside this familiar game?
The answer is on the internet. Gamblers realise that they can enjoy bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and cig and in the end, enjoy big prizes. This is a recent development and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course wagering on online is unlikely to replace the communal part of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the law has left a number of bingo players with no option.