UK Gambling Advisory Panel Formed
Published: Friday, October 07, 2005 Online-Casinos.com
UK GAMBLING ADVISORY PANEL FORMED
Land casino advisory panel formed as part of the Gambling Commission
The British media are reporting this week that UK gambling minister Richard
Caborn has announced the membership of an advisory panel, which will begin work
towards the introduction of regional land casinos as part of the new Gambling
Commission regulation of the UK gambling industry, including the Internet gambling
sector.
The initiative to form an advisory panel came about as part of the Gambling
Act 2005, which came into force on 1 October.
The Casino Advisory Panel will be chaired by Professor Stephen Crow – a
former chief planning inspector and chief executive of the Planning Inspectorate
– and includes Christopher Collinson, an independent planning and regeneration
advisor and former deputy chief executive of Mansfield District Council; James
Froomberg, commercial director of British Waterways; Neil Mundy, formerly director
of finance and corporate services for ONE North East Regional Development Agency;
and Deep Sagar, director of Glasgow Employer Coalition.
Its duties will initially be to invite expressions of interest from local authorities
and then begin identifying the areas which could support either the one regional
land casino or any of the planned eight large and eight small casinos.
It will investigate the social impact and potential for regeneration in each
of the applicants’ regions. Regional planning bodies throughout England,
Wales and Scotland will also be asked to identify a list of potential locations
for the regional casino.
Based on the panel’s findings, the list of chosen locations will be approved
in a Parliamentary Order in early 2007, with the relevant local authorities
then able to invite tenders for casino premises licences.
“The panel’s priority is to get a proper assessment of the social
impact new types of casino will have, particularly on problem gambling,”
said Caborn, “I know there has already been a great deal of speculation
over the location of the new regional casino – this isn’t surprising
given the regeneration benefits it will bring – but the appointment of
this panel shows that there are no favourites or front-runners. The slate has
been wiped clean and every local authority will have the chance to make its
case.”
Local authorities which are unwilling to licence a casino will not be considered
by the panel.
The regional casino will offer a minimum of 5,000sq m), large casinos a minimum
of 1,500sq m and small casinos a minimum of 750sq m, with differing jackpot
prize levels at
each available.
