THE rise of internet gambling sites may have left some people fearing that the bingo hall is no longer a way for more mature ladies to get together, have a gossip and maybe win a couple of pounds.
However, that stereotypical view of bingo ignores the fact that it has not always been viewed as a cosy, harmless pastime.
Eyes Down: The Story of Bingo examines its rise from a quiet parlour game to a multi-million-pound business. It seems bingo as we know it owes its existence to a loophole in an obscure piece of gambling legislation.
The consequences were that in 1961, bingo halls invaded the high street and the game became one of the country’s most popular pastimes. However, the success led to worries about the effect all that easy prize money would have on the moral health of the nation.
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