You are in > manchester.com  > News > Supercasino 'could cause more problems than it solves'

General Manchester news

Supercasino 'could cause more problems than it solves'

31/01/2007

Church leaders have expressed concern that the supercasino in Manchester, which will be the UK's first Las-Vegas style gambling hall, will lead to social problems in the local community.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said people should not under-rate the problems caused by this "popular form of addiction".

He admitted that the location of the casino, Beswick in east Manchester, "has a long history of deprivation" and is in need of regeneration, but he warned that the arrival of a casino is not the answer Mancunians are looking for.

He added: "I'm very concerned that we can't think of better ways of regenerating deprived areas than by developing within them institutions which may well contribute to the material and spiritual deprivation of the area in the long term."

The licence will allow the city to build a venue that will house 1,250 unlimited-jackpot gaming machines.

Professor Stephen Crow, chair of the Casino Advisory Panel, said that one of the reasons Manchester was chosen was that it represents "a good place to test social impact" of large casinos.

However, Stephen Lowe, the Anglican Bishop of Hulme, told Channel 4 News that the supercasino, which will be "alongside some of the poorest communities" in the UK, will lead to soaring gambling problems in the city.





© Adfero Ltd