Much has been written in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry struggling as a result of the cigarette ban in England. Conditions have become so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has asked for huge aid to assist in keeping the businesses from going bankrupt. But does the web variation of this quintessential game offer a lifeline, or will it in no way compare to its land based opposite?

Bingo has been an ancient game generally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game lately had witnessed a recent increase in appeal with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo parlours in place of the clubs on a weekend. All this is about to get flipped on its head with the enacting of the cigarette ban across UK.

No longer will enthusiasts be able to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most common places where many people enjoy smoking.

The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be looked at in Scotland where cigarettes are already banned in the bingo parlors. Profits have plummeted and the business is literally struggling for its life. But where did the players go? Of course they haven’t abandoned this classic game?

The answer is online. Players realise that they can wager on bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a beer and fag and in the end, enjoy big prizes. This is a recent anomaly and has happened almost perfectly with the ban on smoking.

Of course wagering on online will never replace the social portion of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of men and women the law has left a number of bingo players with no choice.