Bingo halls hit TV jackpot

Bingo operators are to be allowed to advertise on television so that they can compete more fairly with the National Lottery, the Home Office said yesterday.

Bingo has been suffering since the launch of the weekly draw two years ago but the operators now believe they can reach a younger generation and shake off the game's downmarket image. The ban was imposed by previous governments who feared bingo would encourage gambling among the working classes.

In addition to television, bingo firms will now advertise their facilities and prizes on radio and in the cinema. Colin Brown

Labour's lottery spat, page 5