Much has been reported in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry being hurt because of the cigarette ban in the UK. Conditions have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for massive tax cuts to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. However does the online adaptation of this quintessential game offer a lifeline, or might it in no way compare to its bricks and mortar kin?

Bingo is an enduring game historically played by the "blue rinse" generation. However the game of late had witnessed a recent return in popularity with younger members of society opting to visit the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a Friday night. This is all about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the smoking ban throughout Britain.

No longer will enthusiasts be able to puff on cigarettes while marking numbers. From the summer of 2007 all public places will not be allowed to permit cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, one of the most popular areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.

The results of the anti smoking law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo parlors. Profits have dropped and the business is beyond a doubt struggling for its life. But where did the players go? Surely they haven’t cast aside this classic game?

The answer is online. People realise that they can enjoy bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a cocktail and smoke and still have a chance at big cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the ban on cigarettes.

Of course gambling on online could never replace the social part of heading over to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of men and women the governing edicts have left a lot of bingo players with no option.