This week the government will have to face attacks from all sides, once the Gambling Bill reaches the Parliament. Moralists and existing operators are revolting against the proposals allowing new super-casinos and £1m jackpot fruit machines. The Government has decided to allow eight new "mega-casinos" to have up to 1,250 "category A" fruit machines where each offers £1m jackpot. Ms. Jowell, supported by the gambling charities wished them to get introduced as a trial.
British casinos are unhappy, to say the least, with what they consider the unfair terms on which prominent US gambling firms are bound to enter the market. Other dissatisfactory comments come from bookies and amusement arcade operators, targeting the legislation paragraph detailing the measures against compulsive gambling. Government, however, cannot afford letting loose gambling issues any further, as it will be exposed to booming criticism from the gambling opposition concerned with addiction matters.
Ms. Jowell has slightly mitigated the ruffling moods which prevailed in the Parliament, when she consented to decrease the number of new foreign-run casinos. But British Casino Association argued that the home-grown gambling industry should benefit from freer laws. Ms. Jowell, is open for any constructive ideas but there are some lines that just cannot be crossed.
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| Source: gamblingsmart news writer
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Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
Friday, July 25 2008 
