A lot has been stated in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry being hurt because of the smoking ban in the United Kingdom. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for huge aid to help keep the businesses alive. But does the net version of this classic game present a salvation, or might it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar equivalent?

Bingo is an familiar game normally played by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game of late had seen a recent resurgence in popularity with younger people opting to go to the bingo halls in place of the bars on a Friday night. This is all about to be destroyed with the enforcement of the cigarette ban around England and Wales.

No more will players be permitted to smoke whilst marking numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most popular areas where players like to puff on cigarettes.

The results of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the industry is beyond a doubt struggling for its life. But where did the players go? Obviously they haven’t given up on this classic game?

The answer is on the internet. People know that they can enjoy bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and cigarette and still have a chance at huge prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.

Of course gambling on on the net is unlikely to replace the collective part of going down to the bingo parlor, but for a group of people the law has left a lot of bingo players with no choice.