|
UK
Casino Times
> Casino
News
29 January 2006
Concern For Cardiff's Casino
Plans
The
momentum behind Cardiff's bid to build the UK's first
regional super
casino may have
taken a dent yesterday when Conservative leader Nick Bourne
said the Welsh capital should not be "seduced" into a
project which could have damaging social
consequences.
Mr Bourne, the leader of
the Conservatives in the National Assembly, said that though
the Casino
could help fund the proposed sports village in Cardiff Bay,
it was "very dangerous" to support a massive expansion in
gambling without a sober analysis of potential
side-effects.
He said, "We have grave
concerns on behalf of residents and on behalf of the city
and about the culture it may well bring into Cardiff.
There's the attraction of money for the sports village but
we should not be seduced into supporting it just because
there is money as a sweetener.
Mr Bourne added he was
"not in the business of saying no" but he was not going to
automatically support the project before social risks had
been assessed.
Major Peter Moran, South
Wales divisional commander of the Salvation Army shared his
concerns, saying, "I understand I've no right to tell other
people how they should live their lives but I think we have
a duty to point out some of the things that can
happen."
He said there was
compelling research that people who were employed in casinos
were more likely to develop gambling addictions, and urged
that global evidence would be carefully
considered.
Major Moran said, "It's
very easy to sell this as an all-singing, all-dancing
wonderful thing for Cardiff. Nobody seems to talk about the
human cost.
"Because of the work we
are involved in day by day, we pick up the pieces of lives
which have been broken by gambling addiction."
Nigel Howells, the
council's executive member for culture, leisure and sport,
defended the bid, saying, "It's gone through the planning
process. It's always been envisaged we would have a casino
on the site.
"It's gone through the
scrutiny process and it had overwhelming support over the
whole council. In terms of looking at how it affects
community, a delegation has gone to visit similar casinos in
Australia run by the same company (Aspinalls) that's
planning to run the one in Cardiff.
"We've spoken to various
agencies - churches, the Salvation Army, and the police -
and we have found the company is very sound in terms of
taking its responsibilities seriously. They also have very
good gambling awareness programmes."
Mr Howells said the
location of the casino would make it unlikely that people
who had been drinking would spontaneously decide to
visit.
He said, "It's a
destination location. Your have to make a decision to go
there. One of the key things is we have the support of the
unions. The GMB has recognised that company has a good track
record, not only for the employees but for the community as
well."
Earlier this month, the
chairman of the Gambling
Commission, Peter
Dean, made headlines by suggesting regional casinos with
£1m slot machines were "not such a big deal" and should
not be regulated onerously.
Mr Bourne said, "The
Gambling Bill allowing the introduction of super casinos was
only passed following categorical assurances from the
Government that the regulator would act strongly to protect
the vulnerable. However, Mr Dean's comments indicate the
regulator does not intend to be as tough as Parliament was
told he would be."
Assembly Government
Culture Minister Alun Pugh has said in a letter to Mr
Bourne, "I am aware of the reported comments of the head of
the new Gambling Commission. I share your concerns about the
level and nature of regulation that will be undertaken by
the Gambling Commission.
"I am therefore pleased
that UK Government Ministers have immediately reiterated the
position they clearly set out when the Gambling Bill was
introduced to Parliament, that they expect the Gambling
Commission to strongly regulate the gambling industry and in
particular they will expect gambling operations to adhere to
strict controls to ensure that children, young people and
older people at risk, will not be exposed to the dangers and
risk of problem gambling."
Related pages:
Concerns
Over Problem Gambling
Also see:
UK
Online Casinos
Reviews of the leading, approved UK online casinos. Includes
details of the free money welcome bonuses offered to new
players by the online casinos.
Online
Casinos Guide
New to online casinos? We take you through the process in a
friendly, easy-going way.
CasinoTimes.co.uk
is updated every day with the latest online casino and
gambling news.
Click
Here
to bookmark us and check us out daily!
Return
to UK Casino News index
|
