Three jurisdictions were due to make announcements in December on casino licences. Singapore and Pennsylvania in the USA have managed to deliver on schedule (the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is due to make its announcement today) but in October the UK’s Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) asked for a one month delay owing to printing problems. CAP may have already taken the final decision on where Britain’s first regional casino will be built, but few will get to hear before the end of January.

In the meantime the speculation continues. Many believe that the final selection will be between two applications: that of Blackpool Council in England’s north-west and that of Greenwich Council in London. During a debate at the House of Lords, Lord Lee of Trafford described Blackpool as the obvious choice despite his own city of Manchester being a contender for the casino licence.

Blackpool was the first council to declare its interest in hosting a mega casino and has done much to revitalise the town’s appeal as a vacation destination. The Greenwich application for the Dome site on the banks of the Thames has been beset with scandal, which could affect the final outcome of the licensing process. Blackpool has been considered a front runner in the contest from the beginning, both because of its claim as a destination resort and because of its need for regeneration. (E-12.20.06)

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