The UK Parliament passed the second reading of the new Gambling Bill drafted by Lord McIntosh. By 286 to 212, the MPs voted in favour of the Bill, which has outraged Churches. The bill will tighten the regulation of granting a gambling license, yet allows unlimited prize money at new casinos. Churches have greatly criticised the policy and said that it may result in a boom in super casinos across Britain, therefore intensifying the problem of gambling addiction among the people.

Senior Church of England and Roman Catholic figures and the heads of the Methodist Church, the Church of Scotland and The Salvation Army have all joined forces to give a warning of the social consequences of allowing large numbers of casinos offering high-stakes gambling.

In the letter (signed by Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark, the Church of England; Commissioner Shaw Clifton, Territorial Commander, the Salvation Army; Dr Alison Elliot OBE, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; Revd Will Morrey, President of the Methodist Conference; Peter Smith, Archbishop of Cardiff, Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales) the Churches expressed acknowledgment for the Government’s commitment to protecting children and the vulnerable from the dangers of gambling, as the Government believes that casinos will lead to an increase in gambling addicts.

“However, there is a clear contradiction at the heart of the Bill. It is paradoxical that one part of the Bill exists to ameliorate problems that could be created by the other part,” the Churches point out the problem.

“The Gambling Bill paves the way for huge casinos which will contain some of the most addictive forms of gambling, such as casino table games and unlimited prize fruit machines. All experts seem to agree that their proliferation across the UK will lead to an increase in the number of problem gamblers,” the letter says.

”Churches are called, among other things, to care for the vulnerable and disadvantaged in society. The knock on effects of problem gambling, including family and relationship breakdown, are severe and harmful.”

“Ruined lives are not a price worth paying for more gambling opportunities,” the statement added.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, also raised his concerns with senior ministers last week.

Some conscientious MPs have also voiced their warning against the Bill. Labour MP Stephen Pound called the plans a “money-making machine” that would “lure people in”.

Yesterday on The Daily Mail, a campaign was launched against the proposed law, urging Labour MPs to “have the integrity” to amend it.

“Britain already has 300,000 problem gamblers,” it said, “If that figure trebles - as the government’s own research on the effects of casinos suggests - the toll in human misery will be immense.”