Bingo Tricks

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Much has been talked in the press just a while ago concerning the bingo industry struggling because of the smoking ban in England. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the industry afloat. But will the internet adaptation of this classic game offer a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its land based opposite?

Bingo has been an ancient game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game recently had seen a recent resurgence in appeal with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo parlours rather than the discos on a weekend. All this is about to be reversed with the enforcement of the cigarette ban throughout England and Wales.

Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of ‘07 every public location will no longer be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most popular locations where many people enjoy smoking.

The results of the anti cigarette law can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already forbidden in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the industry is literally fighting for its life. But where have all the players gone? Of course they haven’t abandoned this established game?

The answer is online. People are now realizing that they can enjoy bingo in front of their computer at the same time enjoying a beverage and smoke and still enjoy huge prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself just about perfectly with the anti cigarette law.

Of course betting on on the internet is unlikely to replace the collective portion of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the rules have left many bingo players with no alternative.