Much has been reported in the press recently about the bingo industry struggling as a result of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax breaks to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However will the web variation of this traditional game provide a salvation, or will it in no way compare to its real life opposite?
Bingo has been an age old game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game recently had witnessed a recent comeback in popularity with younger members of society deciding to go to the bingo halls rather than the bars on a Friday night. All this is about to be reversed with the introduction of the anti smoking law all over England and Wales.
No more will enthusiasts be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favored locations where players enjoy smoking.
The effects of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already banned in the bingo halls. Players have plunged and the business is literally fighting for its life. But where have the players gone? Of course they haven’t given up on this ancient game?
The answer is on the internet. Players realize that they can gamble on bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a cocktail and fag and still enjoy big prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.
Of course playing on the net is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of going down to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the law has left many bingo players with little option.
This entry was posted on March 7, 2020, 2:25 am and is filed under Bingo. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.