Caution Urged In Race For Super Casino

Business leaders and politicians have given a mixed reception to news that Glasgow was winning the battle to land a multi-million pound super casino.

The city is in a close race for the only UK licence for a huge Las Vegas resort-style casino, but the SNP and the Conservatives have called for caution and criticised claims that such a development would be a certain benefit to it.

Glasgow is ranked alongside Blackpool, Manchester and the London Dome, sources close to the Glasgow casino bid say.

The reformed gambling laws allow one huge resort casino, eight large and eight small casinos to be developed in the UK.

Jamie McGrigor, Scottish Tory spokesman on tourism and culture, said: "I can understand where councils are coming from as the ballpark figure for regeneration money from each supercasino is around £50m and that's seductive. But we need to know much more about the impact on problem gambling. Unless ministers can convince us otherwise, the numbers must stay as they are."

John Mason, the city council's SNP opposition leader, said: "There are those who say it would create jobs and economic benefits but critics argue that it will exacerbate social problems and create gamblers. There seem to be moves afoot to allow more than one supercasino. If that was true, then three casinos of that size in Glasgow would be overkill."

Three operators have plans for developments worth up to £200m at the SECC, Glasgow Harbour and Ibrox stadium.

Pauline McNeill, Labour's Kelvin MSP, said: "If a casino is given the go-ahead, there would have to be some criteria about where it was located and about other factors such as problems of addiction and the casino workers' conditions of employment."

The decision on the location will be made by the independent casino advisory panel at the end of the year.