Entertainment
How online gaming can promote socialising
When the topic of online gaming is broached, the mind often wanders to teenagers’ bedrooms, devoid of sunlight, as a foul-mouthed youth berates a stranger on the other side of the world from the comfort of a high-tech gaming chair. However, the reality is that nowadays, online gaming is far more encompassing than these outdated stereotypes.
Online gaming has evolved into a dynamic platform where players from different corners of the globe can connect, engage, and socialise, offering a multitude of opportunities and benefits.
Benefits of multiplayer gaming
Multiplayer gaming has transformed the industry, opening up spaces for collaboration, competition, and interaction. A key benefit is the sense of community it builds, whether in first-person shooters, strategy games, or live casino online games. Players connect through chats and voice communication, forming bonds with others who share similar interests.
Multiplayer games promote teamwork and collaboration, skills useful in daily life. In popular games like Fortnite and Call of Duty, players must cooperate to achieve goals, enhancing communication skills. Many players also form teams or “clans,” even leading to long-term friendships.
For individuals who may struggle with face-to-face interaction, online gaming offers a less intimidating way to socialise. It allows players to engage with others at their own pace and comfort level.
This can be particularly beneficial for those with social anxiety or introverted personalities, as the virtual world offers a platform where they can practice social skills in a low-pressure environment.
Socialising through multiplayer casino games
When it comes to multiplayer casino games, the social aspect is just as significant. Online casinos are no longer a single-player experience. Instead, they have evolved into virtual hubs where people can enjoy the thrill of the game while interacting with others.
Multiplayer casino games, in particular, provide players with the opportunity to engage with friends or strangers from all over the world in real time.
Live dealer games are a popular type of multiplayer casino game, allowing players to enjoy traditional games like poker, blackjack, and roulette with a real dealer. These games replicate the social atmosphere of a physical casino, with live chat enabling interaction with both the dealer and other players, creating a sense of community.
Types of multiplayer casino games
There are several types of multiplayer casino games that cater to various interests and skill levels. Some of the most common include:
- Poker: As a naturally social game, poker remains one of the most popular multiplayer casino games. Formats like Texas Hold’em and Omaha allow players to compete and interact via chat while testing their skills.
- Blackjack: In multiplayer blackjack, players compete against each other while aiming to beat the dealer. The strategic nature of the game encourages conversation and shared tips, with live versions enhancing social engagement.
- Roulette: Multiplayer roulette lets players place bets alongside others in real-time, with live chat recreating the social atmosphere of a physical casino.
- Bingo: Known for its community focus, bingo thrives on social interaction, with online chat functions enabling players to communicate and enjoy the camaraderie.
- Slots tournaments: Multiplayer slot tournaments bring players together to compete for high scores and prizes, with real-time chat building a competitive yet friendly environment.
Conclusion
Online gaming has moved beyond its reputation as a solitary pursuit. Multiplayer games offer countless opportunities for social interaction, teamwork, and building connections with others. From poker to bingo, these games create an environment where people can engage with others, form friendships, and enjoy shared experiences.
Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or a newcomer, online multiplayer games offer a virtual world of social opportunities. So, next time you log into your favourite game, remember that you’re not just playing — you’re socialising.
Entertainment
One Night in Dublin returns to the Torch with a brand-new show
ONE NIGHT IN DUBLIN is heading back to the stage at the Torch Theatre with a lively new production fronted by renowned Irish singer Danny Muldoon.
Tickets are already selling fast for the feel-good celebration of Irish music, which promises two hours of songs, stories and plenty of craic.
Backed by an award-winning five-piece band, Muldoon leads audiences through a packed set of sing-along favourites including Galway Girl, Tell Me Ma, The Irish Rover, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey in the Jar, The Wild Rover and The Galway Shawl, along with many more well-loved classics.
The show recreates the atmosphere of a bustling Dublin pub, complete with fiddle, whistle, guitars, banjo, bodhrán, accordion and driving drums, transporting the audience straight into “Murphy’s Tavern” for an unforgettable night of live entertainment.
Fans can also expect hits from Irish legends including The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, The Dubliners, The Fureys, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys.
One Night in Dublin comes to the Torch Theatre on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm.
Tickets cost £26.50. Visit the theatre website or call the Box Office on (01646) 695267 to book.

Entertainment
New appeal in search for missing Manic Street Preachers musician
Family and charity issue fresh appeal for information about guitarist 31 years on
THIRTY-ONE years after the disappearance of Richey Edwards, a new public appeal has been issued urging anyone with information to come forward.
Edwards, guitarist and lyricist with Manic Street Preachers, vanished on January 31, 1995, in a case that has become one of the most enduring mysteries in British music history.

The then 27-year-old was last seen at the Embassy Hotel Bayswater in west London, where he had been staying ahead of a promotional trip to the United States. He checked out of room 561 but never reached his destination.
Despite numerous reported sightings over the years, none have ever been confirmed. Edwards was officially declared presumed dead in 2008, though his family continue to mark the anniversary of his disappearance and keep hope alive that answers may still emerge.
Anniversary appeal
The charity Missing People has released a statement in collaboration with Edwards’ sister Rachel, asking the public to remember the case.
In a social media post, the organisation said: “It is 31 years since Richard went missing, please keep his family in your thoughts.”
They also repeated key identifying details from the time he vanished. Edwards was described as white, around 5ft 7in tall, slim, with brown eyes and a shaved head. He had several distinctive tattoos, including a rose with the words ‘Useless Generation’, the phrase ‘I’ll surf this beach’, and a scar on his lower left arm where he had scratched the words ‘4 REAL’.
Unanswered questions
His car was later found near the Severn Bridge services, close to the Welsh border, prompting widespread searches but yielding no firm clues about what happened next.
At the time of his disappearance, the band were on the brink of international success. Edwards’ intense, literate songwriting and striking image had already made him a defining figure in Welsh rock music. More than three decades later, fans still hold vigils, create murals and share tributes across Wales and beyond.
Police say the case remains open.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Service on 101 or use their online reporting service, quoting reference CONNECT REF 01/764429/24. Missing People also operates a free, confidential helpline on 116 000.
Entertainment
Turner and Constable brought to life on the big screen at the Torch Theatre
ART lovers in Pembrokeshire will have the chance to experience the lives and rivalries of two of Britain’s greatest painters when a new documentary, EOS: Turner & Constable, arrives at the Torch Theatre this March.
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, the film explores the intertwined stories and enduring legacies of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable alongside Tate Britain’s major new exhibition. Exhibition on Screen has been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access, bringing their extraordinary art and personal histories vividly to the cinema screen.
Born just a year apart, Turner and Constable helped redefine landscape painting in Britain – and were fierce competitors. Both captured a nation in transition, yet their styles could not have been more different. Turner’s dramatic skies, blazing sunsets and atmospheric scenes from his travels contrasted sharply with Constable’s gentle, nostalgic portrayals of the English countryside and familiar rural life.
Their opposing visions divided critics and audiences alike, famously described at the time as a clash of “fire and water”.
The documentary offers rare, intimate access to sketchbooks, letters and personal artefacts, alongside insights from leading curators and art historians. It also ties in with Tate Britain’s landmark exhibition, running in London from November 2025 to April 2026, which reunites the two masters’ works side-by-side.
This cinematic event gives audiences the chance to see their masterpieces in stunning detail and discover unexpected sides to two artists whose rivalry shaped British art history.
Turner and Constable will be screened at the Torch Theatre on Sunday, March 15 at 4:30pm.
Tickets are £13. For bookings, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01646 695267.
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