Regional Casinos "the worst Government idea for years!" - Robert Brown

12.00.00am GMT Thu 13th Jan 2005

Thursday 13th January 2005

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has obtained assurances from the Scottish Executive that the Scottish Parliament and local Licensing Boards will effectively have the ability to reject the sitting of Regional casinos in Scotland. During a debate in the Scottish Parliament on a "Sewell" motion on the Government's Gambling Bill, Mr. Brown, a leading critic of regional casinos, had demanded assurances from Scottish Ministers as to how decisions will be made in Scotland on whether and where to allow regional casinos. He also made a swinging attack on the Labour Government's proposals for regional casinos, which are a main feature of the Gambling Bill.

Robert Brown said:

"I am strongly opposed to the whole idea of Regional casinos. The Government are proposing to allow up to 8 regional casinos across the UK initially and probably more later. Each Regional Casino - also known as super-casinos - will be allowed to have up to 1250 gambling slot machines - more than exist in all the casinos in the United Kingdom at present - and this is made worse by approval for them to be category A, unlimited jackpot, machines. One casino could rake in £75 million from these machines alone, before anyone has gone near the tables. US research indicates that no less than 30-55% of casino slot machine income comes from problem gamblers.

The idea of regional casinos is possibly the worst idea to come out of Government in recent years. The United Kingdom has one of the lowest levels of problem gambling in the world, and the policy of the Government is to put in place arrangements which will double the levels of problem gambling. No doubt they do not intend to do this but that is the effect of what they are doing. So, on top of a drugs problem and an alcohol addiction problem and a tobacco addiction problem, Glasgow - the most likely location for a regional casino - is to have a gambling addiction problem.

It is true that gambling is reserved to Westminster and, in my view rightly so, but there is no law that says that, within the framework of gambling regulation established by Westminster, Scottish Ministers cannot discuss this issue with the Government, ask for and obtain a clear understanding that, in practice, if Scottish Ministers say no to super Casinos in Scotland, that is a view which will be honoured by the Government - I am not particularly concerned with the format of this but the reality.

I am very pleased that Scottish Ministers have responded to my concerns. I asked for 3 assurances -

(first) that the Scottish Executive will have what in practice amounts to a veto on approval of Regional casinos in Scotland.

(second) that the local Licensing Boards will be able to discriminate between different sorts of casinos and to reject regional casinos in their areas even if they do not reject smaller casinos.

(third) that there will be a full Parliamentary debate with adequate time before the Scottish Executive makes its view known to Westminster on any proposals to locate a regional casino in Scotland.

I make no bones about saying that I do not find the vision of Glasgow as a sort of wet Las Vegas a particularly compelling one. But there is a debate to be had on this issue and it is a debate which will be had in Scotland if there are proposals to locate any of these monster casinos in Scotland. Scottish Ministers are to be consulted, there will be a major debate in the Scottish Parliament, and, if we say no, the Gambling Commission in practical terms would not authorise such a casino in Scotland. Local Licensing Boards could also reject them."

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