More setbacks for govt's casino plans
By Paul
21st April, 2008
The government is reeling from yet more setbacks to its beleaguered overhaul of casino gambling legislation, the Mail on Sunday has reported.
A number of bidders who had previously expressed interest is acquiring one of 16 new casino licences have now abandoned their plans.
Casino groups Aspers, Ladbrokes, Gala, Rank, Stanley Leisure and Genting are all believed to have cut back their involvement in the new scheme - a watered-down version of previous plans for a series of supercasinos.
Those proposals were thrown out by prime minister Gordon Brown upon his accession to office last summer.
Commenting on the drying up of demand for the 16 regional licences, one unnamed former bidder told the Main on Sunday: "The commercial viability is just not there any more."
He alluded to the government's 24 per cent tax deduction of casino profits, saying: "This has nearly wiped us out and has made the government the biggest shareholder in UK casinos."
The 16 licences stipulate an increased number of slot machines allowed in small regional casinos, up from 20 to 80.
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