The sixteen locations put forward are the same as those recommended by the independent Casino Advisory Panel. They are:

• Large casino: Great Yarmouth, Kingston-upon-Hull, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newham, Solihull and Southampton.
• Small casino: Bath and North East Somerset, Wigtown licensing area in Dumfries and Galloway, East Lindsey, Luton, Scarborough, Swansea, Torbay and Wolverhampton.

The order will be debated by both Houses of Parliament. Parliament may only approve or reject the order, it may not amend it.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham said:

“Today I am laying a draft order identifying the 16 local authorities which will be authorised to license eight small and eight large casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005. But mindful of the very clear concerns expressed by Parliament in March, and on the basis of the current evidence about the uncertain level of risk surrounding a regional casino, I do not intend to authorise one.”

The Secretary of State also warned today that he would take action against gambling operators who fail to make voluntary contributions towards research into and treatment of problem gambling. He said:

“I was surprised to learn that so few operators - only 360 out of the 3,800 licensed operators - have this year made contributions to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. This is completely unnacceptable.  I am putting the industry on notice that if the current level of non-payment continues, a statutory levy will become inevitable, at a level to be determined.”

Mr Burnham also indicated that he will prevent any casino from opening for 24 hours.  He said:

“I believe it is a good principle that all casinos are subject to a period of closure every day, when individuals are required to leave the premises. Currently, casinos are prevented from offering gambling over 24 hours unless they apply to local authorities for an extension. But I wish to rule out the possibility that some may remain open round the clock by closing their doors for at least six hours.”

Notes to Editors:

1. A copy of the order will be available on the Office of Public Sector Information website.

2. A previous casinos order, put before the House in March 2007 made recommendations for 17 licences, including a regional casino licence, to be awarded to local authorities. This was approved in the House of Commons but was narrowly rejected in the Lords.  There was a clear consensus that the 16 large and small casinos should proceed in the areas recommended by the independent Panel. The 17th licence for a regional casino caused considerably more concern in both Houses.

3. The Casino Advisory Panel, chaired by Professor Stephen Crow, was established to recommend the locations of the new casinos permitted under the Gambling Act 2005.  The final report of the panel, published on 30 January 2007, is available on the Casino Advisory Panel website. 

4. The Department of Communities and Local Government report, published today, looks at the regeneration potential of the regional casino and asks whether deprived areas can be equally well served by other forms of regeneration.  This report is available on the DCLG’s website.

5. DCMS also commissioned an independent report scoping the methodology required for an assessment of new casinos, which was undertaken by Lancaster University. Its findings, also published today, are available on the DCMS website.

6. The specifications dictated in the Gambling Act and accompanying regulations by type of casino are:

• A large casino must have a total gambling area of between 1,500 and 3,500 square metres, and will be permitted to offer a maximum of 150 Category B1 gaming machines with a £2 maximum stake and £4,000 maximum prize.  A small casino may have a total gambling area of between 500 and 1,500 square metres, and will be permitted to offer a maximum of 80 Category B1 gaming machines. Category B1 gaming machines are already permitted in existing British casinos – each may offer up to 20 such machines.
• The regional casino would have been able to offer up to a maximum of 1,250 gaming machines with no limits on their stake or prize.

7. All operators licensed by the Gambling Commission must demonstrate that they have policies in place to show that they are contributing to research into the prevention and treatment of problem gambling. One option for operators is to contribute on a voluntary basis to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust, which has a target to raise £4m in the current financial year.