26 February 2008
Methodist delight at decision to drop the supercasino
The Methodist Church welcomes today's Government
announcement that they will not grant a supercasino licence.
Proposals for supercasinos, also known as regional casinos, have
been strongly opposed by The Methodist Church.
Alison Jackson, Team Leader for Public Issues in the Methodist
Church, said "we are delighted to hear that the Government is not
intending to grant a licence for a supercasino. We are pleased that
the Government has listened to reason and decided against building
a massive gambling complex with unlimited jackpot fruit machines in
a deprived area. The Methodist Church calls on the Government to
support other ways of regenerating those communities most in
need."
The Methodist Church will continue to monitor the impact of the 16
new large and small casinos that will now open as planned. The
Church will keep pressure on the government and the industry to do
all they can to protect players and support people who have a
gambling problem.
Alison says "the new casinos will be a cause of concern for many
people, not least those who live in the neighbourhoods where the
casinos are going to be built. We urge the casino operators and the
licensing authorities to do all in their power to encourage
responsible gaming, and to help those in need."
The new casinos will be subject to a three-year evaluation period
to monitor their impact. The Methodist Church is demanding that
this time period should start when the casinos open and take three
years of full operation into account. The premises will take time
to build and fit out, so counting the three years from the date on
which the licences are awarded could mean that the casinos have
been open for only a few weeks when the review takes place.
ENDS Notes: 1.
Against the odds…? is a briefing on the Gambling Act 2005 from
the Methodist Church and the Salvation Army, and contains details
of the Churches' concerns about gambling.