An abundance has been stated in the press not long ago regarding the bingo industry being hit as a result of the anti cigarette law in Britain. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested big tax breaks to help keep the industry alive. But does the net version of this traditional game provide a lifeline, or will it not compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo has been an established game generally enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had experienced a recent resurgence in popularity with younger members of society opting to hit the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a weekend. All this is about to be reversed with the introduction of the anti smoking law throughout Britain.
Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most common locations where people like to smoke.
The results of the anti cigarette law can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlours. Numbers have dropped and the industry is absolutely struggling for its life. But where have all the players gone? Obviously they haven’t abandoned this age old game?
The answer is online. People are now realizing that they can bet on bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a drink and smoke and still enjoy monstrous cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.
Of course wagering on on the net is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the governing edicts have left many bingo players with little option.