Much has been written in the press not long ago about the bingo industry struggling as a consequence of the cigarette ban in the UK. Conditions have grown so bad that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for big aid to assist in keeping the industry afloat. But will the web variation of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or might it never compare to its bricks and mortar peer?

Bingo is an familiar game historically played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had seen a recent comeback in acceptance with younger members of society opting to hit the bingo halls in place of the discos on a Saturday night. All this is about to change with the introduction of the anti smoking law around UK.

Players will no longer be allowed to smoke at the same time dabbing numbers. From the summer of ‘07 every public place will not be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo halls, which are possibly the most favorite locations where players like to puff on cigarettes.

The outcome of the smoking ban can already be felt in Scotland where cigarettes are already prohibited in the bingo parlours. Numbers have dropped and the business is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Surely they haven’t given up on this age old game?

The answer is on the net. People realize that they can participate in bingo in front of their computer whilst enjoying a beer and smoke and still enjoy huge jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.

Of course gambling on online will never replace the communal portion of going over to the bingo parlour, but for a group of men and women the rules have left a good many bingo players with little option.