Will The Borough Become A New Las Vegas?

11.28.19am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 26th Oct 2004

With the Gambling Bill, now before Parliament, generating growing interest, there is increasing concern from MPs and others that the Bill could open the way to large scale, Las Vegas-style casinos in many towns and cities. In return for large payments to local councils, numerous big gaming centres could be established with hundreds of slot machines with big 'jackpots'.

Vincent Cable MP said that "the Government has been very naïve and has been hoodwinked by the American gaming industry. For reasons which none of us can understand the Government is throwing open the door to the worst excesses of large scale commercialised gambling. I have no puritanical objection to gambling as such, be it on the horses or the National Lottery. Clearly adults should have a choice as to how they spend their own money. But there is a serious problem of addictive gambling which these centres will encourage. No other country takes such a casual view of the problem as our Government seems to.

"We already have a small gaming shop in central Twickenham and I suspect many residents could become seriously concerned if the activity were to be on a much bigger scale."