A lot has been written in the press just a while ago regarding the bingo industry being hit because of the anti cigarette law in Britain. Conditions have grown so poor that in Scotland the Bingo industry has demanded massive aid to help keep the industry from going bankrupt. However will the net variation of this classic game offer a lifeline, or will it not compare to its land based kin?

Bingo is an ancient game historically enjoyed by the "blue rinse" generation. Although the game of late had experienced a recent resurgence in appeal with younger people deciding to visit the bingo halls in place of the clubs on a Friday night. All this is about to be reversed with the legislating of the cigarette ban all over UK.

No longer will players be able to puff on cigarettes whilst marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of 2007 every public area will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlours, which are possibly the most favored areas where many people like to smoke.

The results of the cigarette ban can already be observed in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo parlors. Numbers have dropped and the industry is literally struggling for to stay alive. But where did the players go? Surely they have not forgotten this familiar game?

The answer is on the web. Gamblers realise that they can bet on bingo using their computer whilst enjoying a beer and cig and in the end, have a chance at massive prizes. This is a recent phenomenon and has timed itself bordering on perfect with the anti cigarette law.

Of course betting on on the net is unlikely to replace the collective part of going down to the bingo parlor, but for a demographic of people the law has left a lot of bingo players with little alternative.