Much has been written in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the cigarette ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded big aid to help keep the businesses alive. But can the net version of this quintessential game provide a salvation, or will it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo is an established game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game of late had witnessed a recent increase in popularity with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo halls rather than the bars on a weekend. This is all about to be reversed with the enforcement of the smoking ban all over UK.
No longer will enthusiasts be allowed to smoke at the same time dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 every public area will not be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most favorite areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo halls. Players have dropped and the business is beyond a doubt fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Of course they haven’t forgotten this classic game?
The answer is on the internet. Players are now realizing that they can play bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and smoke and still enjoy big jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.
Of course gambling on on the net could never replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no choice.