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Fast track for 24-hour gambling

Ian Craig
15/10/2004

ROUND-the-clock casinos and roulette tables in betting shops and bingo halls could soon be on the way.

Government plans to sweep away most restrictions on gambling are to be rushed through within weeks.

Plans for casinos in the pipeline include two in Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium and at Manchester's Great Northern Warehouse, two in Salford, including one linked to a new Salford Reds' stadium, and one in Liverpool Road.

There are other applications for St Petersgate in Stockport and Drake Street in Rochdale. Blackpool is also poised to play host to Las Vegas-style casinos.

Critics of the moves say American gambling giants will target every major town and city in Britain to introduce "mega casinos" under liberalised licensing laws being planned by the government, and the country's own gaming industry fears it will be unable to compete.

Already more than 100 applications for casinos have been submitted in many towns and cities, including those in Greater Manchester.

Controversial

A major casino operator is in talks to open a new club at the Great Northern Warehouse in Deansgate, which could be the first move in the city's bid to trump Blackpool as the Las Vegas of the north.

Commons leader Peter Hain has told MPs that the controversial Gambling Bill will be introduced ahead of the Queen's Speech next month. He insists that the bill is about properly regulating gambling.

But Liberal Democrat MP Sue Doughty said the proposed legislation had changed in emphasis from out-of-town gambling to town centre gambling and the result could be "unwanted" casinos in town and city centres.

Tory spokesman Oliver Heald said the news that the Gambling Bill was to be brought in soon was welcome because of the worrying effect that unregulated internet gambling is having on children and vulnerable people.

However, critics fear the arrival of giant American gaming firms, bringing the prospect of '1m jackpots, roulette on tap and blackjack on every street corner.

In the past three years alone the amount of money gambled in Britain has rocketed from less than '8bn to '40bn.

Is it a good idea to relax the gambling laws? Have your say.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(2)


Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   What a pity the government as not looked more closely at controlling gambling and made it in to a regeneration tool.

There should not be casinos in every city as is currently planned but in certain designated towns such as Blackpool, Brighton, Southend etc.

What opportunity that would be to breathe life back into fading seaside towns.
Brian green, manchester
16/10/2004 at 00:02

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   It seem obvious to me that takings, profits and jobs, will just be transfered from pubs, clubs, bingo halls, lottery or whatever in to giant casinos full of slot machines. If they give free drinks and meals as inducements like in America, that will kill off business nearby. How can they compete with free? Nobody will want a business near to a casino. How can a ring of empty property around a city centre casino be discribed as regeneration? Perhaps we should discuss this in more detail. Please do not believe the lies put out by Blackpool Council, most residents do not want their future financed by slot junkies.
Cllr Steven Bate, Blackpool
15/10/2004 at 22:16

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