Might the Smoking Ban in England Drive Bingo Enthusiasts On to the Web?

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An abundance has been talked in the press not long ago about the bingo industry singing the blues as a result of the cigarette ban in the UK. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax cuts to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. But will the net version of this traditional game provide a lifeline, or might it never compare to its land based equivalent?

Bingo has been an ancient game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game recently had undergone a recent increase in popularity with younger people opting to hit the bingo parlours rather than the discos on a Friday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enforcement of the cigarette ban around Britain.

Players will no longer be able to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. From the summer of ‘07 all public places will no longer be permitted to allow cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most common locations where folks enjoy smoking.

The effects of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where smoking is already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Profits have dropped and the business is absolutely struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Obviously they have not deserted this ancient game?

The answer is on the net. Players realize that they can gamble on bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and smoke and in the end, enjoy massive prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.

Of course wagering on on the net will never replace the collective portion of going over to the bingo hall, but for a demographic of men and women the governing edicts have left many bingo enthusiasts with little alternative.