BRITISH, SINGAPORE AIRLINES WILL TEST IN-FLIGHT GAMBLING SYSTEM.

Byline: The New York Times

British Airways and Singapore Airlines will start testing an in-flight electronic gambling system within the next year that will allow passengers to use their credit cards to play poker, blackjack, roulette and slot games at their seats.

The new feature is unlikely to make paupers of travelers, however. The airlines plan to set low limits so that first-class passengers, for example, can lose no more than a few hundred dollars during a single flight. The limits, which have not been made definite, will be even lower for economy and business-class travelers.

The notion of in-flight gambling is controversial. The U.S. government prohibits the practice on flights into and out of the country.