Posted by Jace | Posted in Bingo | Posted on 11-08-2024
A lot has been reported in the papers just a while ago regarding the bingo industry struggling as a consequence of the anti smoking law in the UK. Conditions have become so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge tax cuts to help keep the businesses afloat. But will the internet version of this traditional game provide a lifeline, or might it not compare to its land based kin?
Bingo has been an enduring game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had experienced a recent increase in popularity with younger members of society deciding to visit the bingo parlors rather than the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enforcement of the cigarette ban all over England and Wales.
Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while dabbing numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most common places where people like to smoke.
The results of the smoking ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlors. Numbers have plummeted and the business is beyond a doubt struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Certainly they haven’t deserted this classic game?
The answer is on the web. People realise that they can enjoy bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a cocktail and fag and in the end, have a chance at monstrous cash rewards. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.
Of course betting on on the internet is unlikely to replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of people the rules have left many bingo players with little alternative.