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UK
Casino Times
> Articles
27 July 2005
The Future Of
Gambling
The Rise Of The 'Super
Casino'
UK casinos looked in line
for a shake-up with the introduction of super casinos. These
promised a treat for online gambling fans who fancied a
change from online
casinos.
Now, however, the future
of these Vegas-style resorts is uncertain. UK Casino Times
takes a look at the latest and at what the future might
hold.
For a while last year, it
looked as if Las
Vegas was coming
to a place near you very soon. The Government's
Gambling
Bill, which was
introduced in Parliament towards the end of 2004, proposed a
significant shake-up in the way we gamble in the UK, by
taking gaming out of everyday locations and creating super
resorts.
Under the proposals, Las
Vegas-style regional casinos with up to 1250 slot machines
would be created, where people could play 24-hours a day for
unlimited jackpots. Initially, around 20 such super casinos
were planned in undecided locations up and down the country,
and these regional casinos were seen as a good tool for
urban regeneration, bringing jobs and wealth to struggling
areas.
The proposals also
included some curbs on gambling, with around 6000 slot
machines being removed from premises such as mini-cab
offices and fast food shops. This, theoretically, would
limit young people's access to gambling. Under the Bill, a
new Gambling Commission would also be created to supervise
the industry and Internet betting, at least through UK
operators, would be regulated.
Fury And
Fear
However, the proposals for
regional casinos were greeted with a fury that surprised the
Government and even some seasoned gamblers
too.
Critics claimed that the
regional casinos would lead to a big increase in problem
gambling, as well as a general spread of a gambling culture.
Fears were also expressed about the new casinos being used
for money laundering and about organised crime muscling
in.
With a coalition of
Tories, backbench Labour MPs, churches and charities against
the Bill, the Government was forced to make concessions to
get it through Parliament without losing it
altogether.
Bets On
Blackpool
At first, the Government
agreed that only eight super casinos would be built, but it
was finally forced to concede that only one would be created
as a "prototype". The location for this super casino has not
yet been decided, but Blackpool
is the hot favourite.
The new Gambling Act also
proposes the creation of 16 new casinos - eight small ones
and eight medium-sized ones - in locations to be chosen by
an independent advisory panel.
Not Dead
Yet
However, there are signs
that the UK super casino idea is not dead. In answer to
questions in Parliament, Sport and Tourism Minister Richard
Caborn conceded the possibility of more than one super
casino.
"We do not rule out the
possibility of asking Parliament at some future point to
consider changing the numbers," he told MPs.
"We shall implement the
Gambling Act 2005 on the basis of there being one, but I
believe that at some stage we shall need more than one to
allow the impact right across the UK to be
assessed."
Watch this
space.
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