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Cardiff Politicians Express Concerns about Proposed Super CasinoCardiff, the capital of Wales, is one of the front- runners in the bidding to build the UK's first super casino.However, Conservative leader Nick Bourne rained on the casino parade yesterday when he said that the Welsh capital should avoid being "seduced" into hosting a super casino that may have dire social consequences for many residents. Bourne, who is the leader of the Conservatives in the Welsh National Assembly, said that it was "very dangerous" to be taken in by promises of easy funding for a proposed sports village in Cardiff Bay and other projects. The government, he said, must very carefully examine the potential negative consequences of the introduction of a super casino. Bourne said yesterday that he has "grave concerns on behalf of residents and on behalf of the city and about the culture it may well bring into Cardiff. There's the attraction of money for the sports village but we should not be seduced into supporting it just because there is money as a sweetener." The Conservative leader said that he would not dismiss the idea of a super casino in the Welsh capital out- of- hand; he is not, he said, "in the business of saying no." However, Bourne did call for a thorough investigation into the potential damaging social effects of a super casino. The South Wales divisional commander of the Salvation Army, Major Peter Moran, chimed in to agree with the Conservative leader. He said, "I understand I've no right to tell other people how they should live their lives but I think we have a duty to point out some of the things that can happen." Major Moran added, "It's very easy to sell this as an all-singing, all-dancing wonderful thing for Cardiff. Nobody seems to talk about the human cost. Because of the work we are involved in day by day, we pick up the pieces of lives which have been broken by gambling addiction." Major Moran also said that research suggests that a person who works in a casino is more likely to develop a gambling addiction than someone who is employed elsewhere. He said that evidence of the harm caused by casino gambling around the globe should be a part of the Cardiff debate. However, Nigel Howells, the Cardiff council executive member in charge of culture, leisure and sport, said that the casino company that would operate in Cardiff is a responsible organization. "We've spoken to various agencies - churches, the Salvation Army, and the police - and we have found the company is very sound in terms of taking its responsibilities seriously. They also have very good gambling awareness programs." Reviews: Alabama Man Charged In Sports Betting Case A man who is accused of leading a sports high roller gambling operation based in Milton, Alabama has pleaded guilty to federal charges. Canadian Smoking Activist Group Cries Foul A ban on smoking in public places across the Canadian province of Ontario could cost as much as $500 million in lost revenue for casinos and other gambling venues. Cardiff Politicians Express Concerns about Proposed Super Casino However, Conservative leader Nick Bourne rained on the casino parade yesterday when he said that the Welsh capital should avoid being "seduced" into hosting a super casino that may have dire social consequences for many residents. Maryland State Delegate to Propose Bill to Outlaw Cyber Gambling Machines Maryland State Delegate Peter Franchot, a Democrat, announced this week that he plans to introduce new legislation to ban cyber gambling machines. He is currently looking for co- sponsors among fellow legislators, and hopes to officially announce the bill on Friday or Tuesday.
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