The French coin machine industry, already small because of the absence of AWP machines, is further under threat now that the French Government has brought in a full ban on cigarettes in bars, nightclubs and restaurants (from January 1).
The French cafe, a traditional meeting place for French society, has been campaigning for machines for years without success. Now that the cigarette ban has been imposed, this part of French life may disappear altogether.
Even national heritage organisations are protesting, citing smoking in cafes as an emblem of Gallic identity. The new ban prohibits smoking in "all places of conviviality.”
But a previous law in 1991 ordering bars and restaurants to provide non-smoking areas was ignored. More than half of the 15-25 age group in France smoke, according to research - the highest rate in Europe.
The cafe owners’ union, which has 20,000 members, protests that France has already lost thousands of traditional cafes and more will now follow. For machines, the market has only jukeboxes, some pool tables, football tables and touchscreen games. They are likely to similarly suffer.
