The new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has suggested that the government may make a volte-face regarding the supercasino plans.

During Prime Minister’s Questions today (11 July), Brown responded to a question from Labour’s Loughborough MP Andy Reed, who said that the majority of the public thought that supercasinos would exacerbate problem gambling.

According to the BBC, the PM replied: “This is an issue on which there is no consensus found in the two Houses of Parliament and it is an issue now subject to reflection over the next few months.

“In September we will have a report that will look at gambling in our country – the incidence and prevalence of it and the social effects of it.

“I hope that during these summer months we can look at whether regeneration may be a better way of meeting the economic and social needs [of the areas being considered] than the creation of supercasinos.”

As previously reported in Leisure Opportunities, the House of Lords rejected the decision to build a supercasino in Manchester by 123 votes to 120 in April.