Casino Giant Attempts to Woo Anti-Gambling Bishop with Financial Benefits

|PIC1|A casino giant has met with a staunchly anti-casino bishop from the Church of England as eight city councils continue to battle it out over the right to build a new Las Vegas-style super casino.

The Telegraph reports that the South Africa-based gambling company Sun City Casino has met with the Rt Rev John Nicholls, the Bishop of Sheffield, to highlight the financial benefits that could result for Church projects if plans for a controversial £200 million gambling complex are approved.

The meeting has been regarded by senior diocesan figures as an attempt to win the bishop’s support and is likely to raise more concerns about government plans to establish the super casino that will feature 1,250 slot machines and unlimited jackpots.

Huge outcry from church leaders, anti-gambling groups and Labour MPs have already forced the Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell to cut the number of planned super casinos from eight to just one.

The Methodist Church and The Salvation Army have both led intensive campaigns urging members to lobby their local councillors by writing letters expressing their opposition to super casinos.

Local branches of The Salvation Army have been particularly vocal in warning that the new wave of casinos will only intensify Britain’s growing gambling addiction problem, while the majority of victims will be poor families that will only be plunged into even more debt.

|TOP|Sheffield is just one of eight local authorities competing for the super casino and is a main contender, being the only authority to have three different approaches put forward from rival developers.

According to The Telegraph, Sun International – Sun City’s UK branch – has made a special effort to win round Bishop Nicholls, who is spearheading local opposition to the plans for a super casino in Sheffield.

Neil Murphy, the company’s managing director, told him during private talks held at his residence that if the plans were approved then charitable causes including those run by the Church would benefit financially.

According to The Sunday Telegraph, the issue of funding for the Archers Centre, a Church-backed project to help Sheffield’s homeless, arose during the hour-long meeting between the gambling group and Bishop Nicholls.

One source said: "The bishop was left with the impression that if he came on board with the scheme, then projects in the diocese including projects run by the Church, would benefit financially.

"A direct cash payment wasn't mentioned. But these people are a lot cleverer than that."

While not committing potential payment to any one particular project, Mr Murphy said the two sides discussed the general financial benefits that might be gained by the super casino.

"We talked about benefits, economic and social, and also the possible negation of social harm of casinos in Sheffield and elsewhere," he said.

A spokesman for Bishop Nicholls said: "The bishop remains opposed to any casino in South Yorkshire. He acknowledges there is a pressure to this building up. He has said both publicly and privately if this were to happen against his will, he hopes community projects will benefit.”