Casino plans set to be announced

The government is set to formally lay out plans on Tuesday for 16 large casinos across the country, including a requirement that the gambling industry make a multi-million pound charity payment, political and industry sources said.

Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe will make an announcement in parliament, a political source said, while an industry source said the government would give details on the set-up of new casinos, including the number of slot machines and gaming tables to be allowed.

Sutcliffe will tell the gambling industry it needs to ensure 4 million pounds a year is paid to RIGT, The Responsibility in Gambling Trust, or the government will look to introduce some form of mandatory payment, a source said.

Currently, only about 10 percent of Britain's 3,800 licensed gambling operators, including bookmakers, bingo halls and online gaming companies, pay money to RIGT, an independent trust given voluntary funding by the gambling industry to research and limit problem gambling.

Sutcliffe's announcement should also end talk about a so-called supercasino, which had been set to be built in Manchester, before plans were effectively shelved by Gordon Brown last July, shortly after he became Prime Minister.

Brown said there should be better ways to regenerate the area and launched a review of casino policy, which will result in Tuesday's statement.

Manchester had won a competition to host a Las Vegas-style casino as part of plans under former Prime Minister Tony Blair for more casinos to help regenerate deprived neighbourhoods.

But politicians, led by church leaders in the Lords, rejected the plan for Manchester following months of lobbying by campaigners against gambling addiction.