Clause 7 - Casino
Gambling Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Tony Banks (West Ham, Labour)
Of course, the Government tend to fine-tune Bills in Committee; it is part of the process. Well, the Bill has been more than fine-tuned. It is pretty dramatic to hear that there will be no cap, but then to hear that there will only be eight casinos. We can hardly blame the operators and local authorities for thinking that they stood a reasonable chance of establishing a regional casino, on the assumption that the Government were speaking the truth when they told them that there was to be no cap. Now they have been told that the number is eight. It is not just a matter of caveat emptor, of saying that they must wait until the Bill has been passed and that if they make a decision, well, tough luck.