[ English ]

An abundance has been stated in the papers recently regarding the bingo industry being hurt because of the cigarette ban in the UK. Things have grown so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has called for huge aid to help keep the businesses from going bankrupt. But will the online version of this traditional game offer a lifeline, or might it not compare to its land based kin?

Bingo has been an ancient game normally enjoyed by the "blue haired" generation. Although the game recently had experienced a recent resurgence in popularity with younger members of society deciding to visit the bingo halls rather than the discos on a weekend. All this is about to be destroyed with the enacting of the anti cigarette law around UK.

Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes at the same time dabbing numbers. Beginning in the summer of ‘07 every public area will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their locations and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most popular places where players enjoy smoking.

The results of the cigarette ban can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already barred in the bingo parlours. Players have dropped and the business is absolutely fighting for to stay alive. But where have the players gone? Obviously they have not deserted this established game?

The answer is online. Gamblers realize that they can wager on bingo from their computer at the same time enjoying a cocktail and fag and still have a chance at huge jackpots. This is a recent anomaly and has happened bordering on perfect with the ban on smoking.

Of course betting on on the net is unlikely to replace the social part of going over to the bingo hall, but for a group of men and women the rules have left many bingo enthusiasts with no alternative.