A lot has been stated in the papers just a while ago about the bingo industry struggling because of the anti smoking law in the UK. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. However does the internet variation of this traditional game provide a lifeline, or might it never compare to its land based equivalent?

Bingo has been an classic game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. For all that the game lately had seen a recent increase in acceptance with younger members of society opting to hit the bingo parlours rather than the bars on a Saturday night. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the cigarette ban around UK.

Players will no longer be able to smoke whilst dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 all public areas will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most popular places where many people enjoy smoking.

The outcome of the smoking ban can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo parlours. Profits have plummeted and the industry is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Surely they haven’t given up on this familiar game?

The answer is on the net. People realize that they can gamble on bingo from their computer while enjoying a drink and cigarette and still have a chance at monstrous jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.

Of course gambling on online can never replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the rules have left many bingo players with no choice.