CUSTOMERS and employees of Rank Group Gaming Division, which owns Grosvenor Casinos, Hard Rock Casinos and Mecca Bingo, have embarked on a nationwide campaign to persuade the government to amend the Gambling Bill.

The draft Bill, currently being debated in the House of Lords, is seriously unfair to British clubs, says Mecca.

Customers at Mecca Bingo in Swindon are banding together to launch a drive to protect their local club and stop it being relegated to second class status.

Regulars are being invited to stand up to the government by sending specially designed postcards to their local MPs registering their objection to the introduction of new "super casinos" and the freezing of existing British bingo clubs and casinos.

Andy Campbell, manager of Mecca Bingo in Regent Circus, Swindon, said: "In total we have over five million casino and bingo members who make 24 million visits to our clubs every year, and we employ nearly 10,000 people.

"Our customers and employees are upset that the proposed Bill will force their clubs to accept second class status.

"The proposed Bill will award virtual gambling monopolies to 'super casinos' which will be allowed to offer products and prizes that we cannot provide to our customers."

How are we supposed to survive such unfair competition?"