Malcolm McKinnon, 65, drove to the bingo hall in Sarnia, Ontario to pick up his wife on May 29, 2009.

Witnesses called police after spotting him driving eratically and parking within inches of another car. They said he staggered into the bingo hall and was only prevented from driving away when other patrons confiscated his keys.

Police arrived and breathalysed him, finding him over three times above the drink drive limit.

Malcolm McKinnon admitted guilt and said he had been “very foolish”.

His lawyer said Mr McKinnon’s wife did not drive and was disabled and the driving ban would have a serious impact on the family.

After that date travellers to Canda from the US will have to have ‘secure documentation’, meaning they will need a passport, passport card, NEXUS card or enhanced driver’s licences to get back into the United States.

Up to 40 per cent of customers at the Canadian bingo halls near the border are American and owners fear that many of those customers will simply not bother to get the new identity documentation.

In order to try and minimise the damage to their business the bingo halls are providing forms to customers to sign up for passports or other identification.

The new rules have been introduced by the US Homeland Security department and is called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Online bingo sites targetting the US market are likely to benefit from the changes as players decide to play bingo at home rather than travelling to Canada to get their action.