Casino News

Gambling laws still significant 'despite Manchester fiasco'

2007-09-05 15:00:59

The prime minister's efforts to shut down Manchester's supercasino before it got off the ground has "overshadowed" important developments in Britain's gambling laws, one newspaper has said.

New gambling laws – the first in four decades – have led to the creation of the Gambling Commission, a regulatory body responsible for casinos and other gaming outlets.

In addition, membership requirements for casinos have been abolished and proposals to build regional casinos around the country are still in the pipeline, the Financial Times pointed out.

Ian Spearing, spokesperson for bookmaker William Hill, told the paper: "As an industry we are extremely responsible.

"The UK, despite the fact we have one of the most extensive ranges of gambling products around the world, is one of the safest places to play."

A few weeks ago, James Purnell, the culture secretary, revealed that he had written to a number of local authorities to ask if they still wanted to go ahead with their regional casinos.

Meanwhile, Manchester City Council is putting pressure on the government to put the supercasino project back on track.