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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tories warn of casino 'loophole' | Tories warn of casino 'loophole' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A loophole in new gambling laws could lead to 14,000 high-value slot machines being installed around the UK, the Conservatives have warned. | A loophole in new gambling laws could lead to 14,000 high-value slot machines being installed around the UK, the Conservatives have warned. |
| Casino companies with smaller licenses could challenge larger rivals on competition grounds, it is feared. | Casino companies with smaller licenses could challenge larger rivals on competition grounds, it is feared. |
| Successful challenges could lead to all casinos being allowed to offer high-value payouts, the Tories argue. | Successful challenges could lead to all casinos being allowed to offer high-value payouts, the Tories argue. |
| The department of Culture, Media and Sport has said it would "strongly resist" any legal challenge. | The department of Culture, Media and Sport has said it would "strongly resist" any legal challenge. |
| The casino companies are not thought to be planning legal action at the moment but the Conservatives have written to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell warning of their fears. | The casino companies are not thought to be planning legal action at the moment but the Conservatives have written to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell warning of their fears. |
| The party says the possibility of more high-value machines in existing casinos is a completely different prospect to what has been discussed in Parliament up until now. | The party says the possibility of more high-value machines in existing casinos is a completely different prospect to what has been discussed in Parliament up until now. |
| Licences granted | Licences granted |
| Months of speculation over which city would be chosen as the location of Britain's first Las Vegas-style super-casino came to an end in January when Manchester was announced as the winner. | Months of speculation over which city would be chosen as the location of Britain's first Las Vegas-style super-casino came to an end in January when Manchester was announced as the winner. |
| What is being proposed could potentially result in 14,000 additional high prize gaming machines being introduced into the British market - we are not prepared to let that happen DCMS spokeswoman | What is being proposed could potentially result in 14,000 additional high prize gaming machines being introduced into the British market - we are not prepared to let that happen DCMS spokeswoman |
| The city is in line to get a venue for up to 1,250 unlimited-jackpot gaming machines. | The city is in line to get a venue for up to 1,250 unlimited-jackpot gaming machines. |
| The panel also recommended licences be granted for new "large" casinos - with up to 150 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000 - in Great Yarmouth, Hull, Newham, Middlesbrough, Solihull, Milton Keynes, Leeds and Southampton. | The panel also recommended licences be granted for new "large" casinos - with up to 150 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000 - in Great Yarmouth, Hull, Newham, Middlesbrough, Solihull, Milton Keynes, Leeds and Southampton. |
| The panel said licences for "small" casinos - with up to 80 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000 - should be granted to Bath and North East Somerset, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lindsey, Luton, Scarborough, Swansea, Torbay and Wolverhampton. | The panel said licences for "small" casinos - with up to 80 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000 - should be granted to Bath and North East Somerset, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lindsey, Luton, Scarborough, Swansea, Torbay and Wolverhampton. |
| But a growing number of MPs are signing up to parliamentary motions that could delay approval of the casinos' locations. | But a growing number of MPs are signing up to parliamentary motions that could delay approval of the casinos' locations. |
| Nearly 60, mainly Labour, MPs have signed a Commons motion calling for the location to be switched to Blackpool. | Nearly 60, mainly Labour, MPs have signed a Commons motion calling for the location to be switched to Blackpool. |
| 'Protecting children' | 'Protecting children' |
| Following reports of a possible legal challenge to the Government's decision to allow high-value slot machines in new casinos, the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Hugo Swire, has written to Tessa Jowell seeking urgent assurances about the implications of the Government's gambling reforms. | |
| Shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire said: "It appears that a successful legal challenge over the anti-competitive nature of new casinos could potentially lead to high-stake slot machines appearing in all existing and recently licensed casinos across the country. | |
| "Parliament was very clear when it agreed to a limited pilot that there should be strict controls on the number of high-value machines. | |
| "It would be unacceptable for the government's incompetence to lead to thousands of new unlimited jackpot machines being allowed in Britain." | |
| A DCMS spokeswoman said: "There will be an opportunity for Parliament to debate the decision on the floor of the House and it will have a final say in a vote." | A DCMS spokeswoman said: "There will be an opportunity for Parliament to debate the decision on the floor of the House and it will have a final say in a vote." |
| On Conservative fears of legal challenges by small casinos, she said: "No proceedings have been served and any proceedings would be strongly resisted. | On Conservative fears of legal challenges by small casinos, she said: "No proceedings have been served and any proceedings would be strongly resisted. |
| "We have planned the number of casinos with new gaming machine entitlements so we can undertake a proper assessment of their social impact. Our priority is to protect children and vulnerable people. | "We have planned the number of casinos with new gaming machine entitlements so we can undertake a proper assessment of their social impact. Our priority is to protect children and vulnerable people. |
| "What is being proposed could potentially result in 14,000 additional high-prize gaming machines being introduced into the British market. We are not prepared to let that happen." |