Britain on its way to become the European Las Vegas

Manchester was the city chosen for the building of the first Las Vegas style super casino in the UK. This comes as a surprise to many which were expecting the honor to come to London, Greenwich or Blackpool. The Casino Advisory Panel recommended Manchester as they are hoping it will revitalize the exhausted local economy and small job market in the city famous for its industrialization in the past. It is said that the new casino will be the largest ever in the U.K. and will offer more than 1250 slot machines.

Before Britain tightened its gambling laws in 2005, the original plans were for over twenty super-casinos, then eight, and finally they agreed that this casino will be the only one with such a large number of slot machines. Eight large casinos (with up to 150 slots) were approved, as well as eight small casinos - with up to 80 slot machines.

According to a spokesman for Tony Blair, it is highly unlikely to see another super casino license issued in Great Britain in the coming two years, and that in the end - all casino licenses, big or small, have to be decided by the Parliament first.

The new super casino has sparked some criticism from local activists and media. They believe that the casino will help people get jobs only so they can go back and gamble their wages away, and that the casinos have always been a way for poor people to become even poorer.

The location of the casino is still subject to approval from the lawmakers and the Culture Secretary.