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Much has been reported in the press not long ago concerning the bingo industry singing the blues because of the anti smoking law in Britain. Conditions have become so awful that in Scotland the Bingo industry has requested huge tax cuts to assist in keeping the businesses alive. But can the internet version of this quintessential game present a salvation, or will it not compare to its land based kin?

Bingo is an age old game usually played by the "blue haired" generation. However the game recently had experienced a recent return in popularity with younger people opting to visit the bingo halls rather than the discos on a weekend. This is all about to change with the introduction of the smoking ban throughout England and Wales.

Players will no longer be permitted to puff on cigarettes while marking off their numbers. Starting in the summer of '07 all public places will no longer be allowed to permit smoking in their buildings and this includes Bingo parlors, one of the most popular areas where people like to puff on cigarettes.

The outcome of the anti smoking law can already be looked at in Scotland where smoking is already not allowed in the bingo parlours. Profits have plunged and the business is beyond a doubt struggling for its life. But where did the players go? Obviously they haven't abandoned this classic game?

The answer is on the internet. People realize that they can wager on bingo in front of their computer while enjoying a beverage and smoke and still have a chance at huge jackpots. This is a recent development and has timed itself almost perfectly with the anti cigarette law.

Of course gambling on on the net is unlikely to replace the collective aspect of heading down to the bingo parlour, but for a demographic of players the law has left many bingo players with little option.