The Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) has announced the provisional shortlist of city councils competing for the licence to build the UK’s first Las Vegas-style ‘supercasino'.

The councils that made the shortlist are Blackpool, Brent, Cardiff, Glasgow, Greenwich, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Chair of CAP, Professor Stephen Crow, said: “I know that our decisions will cause disappointment to some. As for those who have successfully accomplished this stage, they have further rigorous examination to undergo, before the final decisions are made.”

The government is currently allowing the building of just one 'supercasino', which will have a minimum customer area of 5,000sq m (53,800sq ft) and be allowed 1,250 gaming machines with unlimited jackpots.

27 towns and cities originally made bids for the regional casino at the end of March this year.

41 other councils applied for licences to run one of the eight ‘large’ and eight ‘small’ casinos, which will only house gaming machines with limited jackpots of £4,000 and have smaller gaming floors.

Some of the 31 successful applicants on the shortlist for smaller casinos include Milton Keynes, Brighton, Leeds and Middlesborough.

CAP will deliver its final decision on all three types of casino to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell at the end of the year. Details: www.culture.gov.uk/cap

Photograph: An artist’s impression of Manchester City Council’s bid at Sportcity