A lot has been written in the papers just a while ago about the bingo industry singing the blues as a consequence of the anti cigarette law in Britain. Things have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to help keep the industry afloat. However does the web variation of this classic game offer a salvation, or might it not compare to its real life relative?

Bingo has been an established game generally played by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game lately had seen a recent increase in appeal with younger members of society deciding to go to the bingo parlors instead of the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to change with the enforcement of the smoking ban across England and Wales.

No more will gamblers be allowed to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 all public places will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most favorite places where many people enjoy smoking.

The effects of the cigarette ban can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already illegal in the bingo parlors. Profits have dropped and the business is absolutely struggling for to stay alive. But where did all the players go? Surely they haven’t cast aside this enduring game?

The answer is on the net. Players realize that they can participate in bingo using their computer at the same time enjoying a beer and fag and still have a chance at monstrous prizes. This is a recent development and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.

Of course wagering on on the internet is unlikely to replace the communal aspect of heading down to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of men and women the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo players with no alternative.