A lot has been reported in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry singing the blues because of the anti cigarette law in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the net adaptation of this quintessential game offer a salvation, or will it never compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?
Bingo has been an ancient game normally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game recently had seen a recent resurgence in appeal with younger people deciding to hit the bingo parlors rather than the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to change with the legislating of the cigarette ban throughout England and Wales.
Players will no longer be allowed to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public locations will no longer be permitted to allow smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favorite places where folks like to puff on cigarettes.
The results of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo parlours. Profits have dropped and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where have all the players gone? Obviously they haven’t deserted this age old game?
The answer is on the web. Players realize that they can gamble on bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cigarette and still have a chance at big cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has happened almost perfectly with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on on the web is unlikely to replace the collective portion of heading down to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of people the rules have left a lot of bingo enthusiasts with no choice.