A lot has been talked in the papers recently about the bingo industry struggling as a result of the cigarette ban in Britain. Things have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But will the net variation of this traditional game offer a escape, or will it never compare to its land based equivalent?
Bingo has been an ancient game generally played by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had witnessed a recent resurgence in popularity with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the cigarette ban around England and Wales.
Players will no longer be allowed to smoke while marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public areas will not be allowed to permit smoking in their venues and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most common areas where players enjoy smoking.
The outcome of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo halls. Numbers have plummeted and the industry is beyond a doubt fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Obviously they haven’t forgotten this ancient game?
The answer is online. People realise that they can participate in bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a drink and smoke and in the end, have a chance at monstrous jackpots. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on online will never replace the collective part of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the rules have left a number of bingo enthusiasts with no choice.