An abundance has been written in the papers recently concerning the bingo industry being hurt because of the cigarette ban in England. Things have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for massive aid to assist in keeping the industry from going bankrupt. But can the web version of this classic game present a salvation, or will it never compare to its real life peer?

Bingo has been an age old game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. In any case the game recently had witnessed a recent return in acceptance with younger men and women opting to go to the bingo parlors rather than the discos on a Friday night. All this is about to be destroyed with the legislating of the cigarette ban all over England and Wales.

Players will no longer be allowed to smoke whilst marking off their numbers. Beginning in the summer of 2007 all public locations will not be permitted to allow cigarettes in their venues and this includes Bingo halls, one of the most popular places where many people enjoy smoking.

The outcome of the anti cigarette law can already be seen in Scotland where cigarettes are already barred in the bingo parlors. Profits have plunged and the industry is absolutely struggling for its life. But where did all the players go? Obviously they haven’t deserted this enduring game?

The answer is online. People realise that they can enjoy bingo from their computer whilst enjoying a beverage and fag and still enjoy huge cash rewards. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself just about perfectly with the ban on cigarettes.

Of course playing online is unlikely to replace the communal part of going down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the law has left a good many bingo players with little option.