Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

Casino bosses have met Luton's faith leaders as they seek to pave the way to a large, new gambling den at the former Vauxhall site. Grosvenor Casinos' chief Paul Armitage held talks with the town's Council of Faiths and Churches Together as a way of smoothing community relations for its bid to run one of the nation's new wave of casinos. The meeting, held at the Salvation Army Hall, Vicarage Street, was just the latest step in the industry's efforts to make Luton a centre for gambling in the region. But Luton's faith leaders maintained their opposition to the proposal. Luton Churches Together's Mike Thomas said: "We are in no doubt there would be increased debt within a community which has a very big problem already." Luton Borough Council has applied to be one of the local authorities able to licence either one of the large or small casinos introduced under the Gambling Act 2005 and a number of companies are eyeing the possibility of moving into the renovated space near the airport.