Much has been stated in the press not long ago regarding the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the smoking ban in Britain. Things have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However will the online variation of this quintessential game present a escape, or might it not compare to its land based equivalent?

Bingo has been an enduring game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. For all that the game of late had experienced a recent return in popularity with younger men and women opting to hit the bingo halls rather than the clubs on a Saturday night. This is all about to be reversed with the enacting of the anti cigarette law all over Britain.

Players will no longer be permitted to smoke while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 all public places will not be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, which are possibly the most favorite locations where folks enjoy smoking.

The results of the smoking ban can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo parlours. Numbers have plunged and the industry is beyond a doubt struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Surely they have not cast aside this age old game?

The answer is online. People realise that they can bet on bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a beer and smoke and still enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent development and has happened bordering on perfect with the anti smoking law.

Of course wagering on on the internet will never replace the collective aspect of heading over to the bingo hall, but for a group of players the rules have left many bingo enthusiasts with no option.