Manchester has been chosen as the surprise location of the UK's first "super-casino". But what are super-casinos, and why are they so controversial?
What are super-casinos?
The Gambling Act 2005 allows for three new types of casino, the most controversial of which is the regional or "super-casino".
The main variation between the three types - the super-casino, large casino and small casino - is the size of the customer area allowed, the number of slot machines and size of the jackpot.
The super-casino will have a minimum customer area of 5,000 sq m and up to 1,250 unlimited-jackpot slot machines.
The government also expects the super-casino to have hotels, conference facilities, restaurants, bars and areas for live entertainment.
Las Vegas, in the US - the gambling capital of the world - has 30 such casino and hotel complexes, according to the Good Gambling guide website.
How many UK super casinos will there be?
Originally, the government said there would be up to 40 super-casinos but this number was cut - firstly to eight, and then to just one - in the face of heavy opposition.
Some 27 local authorities applied for the right to play host to the super-casino.
The independent Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) whittled the applicants down to a shortlist of eight, announced in May.
On the shortlist were Blackpool, Wembley Stadium, Cardiff, Glasgow, the former Millennium Dome in the London borough of Greenwich, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.
But the Wembley bid was later withdrawn after local opposition.
Why was the Dome's application so controversial?
There were a series of rows about the Dome's application.
Firstly, it emerged that the Dome's redevelopers - Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) - had already started building work on a super-casino ahead of the licence being awarded.
And in August 2006 AEG was accused of distorting what local religious groups thought of plans for a Dome casino.
The bid also attracted controversy after it emerged that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott had been a guest of AEG boss Philip Anschutz at his ranch in the US. Mr Prescott insisted he was not involved in the casino application process.
How was the contract for the successful super-casino decided?
The Casino Advisory Panel - whose five members include experts in planning and regeneration - had to take several factors into account before giving its final recommendations.
The casino had to address a need for regeneration in the area, which was likely to have high levels of unemployment and social deprivation.
The panel also had to take account of the new casino's social impact and ensure that it was not harmful, following concerns that people living close to proposed sites may have been vulnerable to gambling addiction.
The panel said they were particularly impressed with the way Manchester had put its bid together and met the criteria of social impact, regeneration, benefits and willingness to have a licence.
It also promised the "highest standards of social responsibility", with an independent Community Trust overseeing its workings.
What about the large and small casinos?
The CAP made recommendations for eight large and eight small casinos, from an original shortlist of 31, taking into consideration social impact and regeneration issues.
Large casinos will have a minimum area of 1,000 sq m and up to 150 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000.
The small casinos will have a minimum customer area of 750 sq m, up to 80 slot machines and a jackpot of £4,000.
Why is the Gambling Act 2005 so controversial?
Campaigners have warned that more Britons are getting into difficulties with gambling, particularly with the explosion in online casinos. They worry the new casinos will make the problem worse.
But Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has defended the introduction of new casinos, saying the government has modernised and tightened the laws on gambling, which would now be "the most protective legislation in the world".
She says she does not think the casinos will increase problem gambling, but says she is prepared to close them down if they do.