Caesars Entertainment, one of the largest gaming groups in the US, has called on the government to raise the number of slot machines allowed in each casino in its imminent shake-up of gambling legislation.

Government Response: Department for Culture, Media and Sport

A spokesman for the DCMS said: "We are aware of the limits on slot machines in casinos and are looking at the report we recieved from the joint scrutiny committee to which we will respond to in June."

Forum Response: Salvation Army

Public affairs officer at the Salvation Army, Jonathan Lomax, said: "The reports that big casino operators are pushing the government to allow gambling-shed style casinos in the UK are very worrying. The joint committee that looked at the draft Gambling Bill very sensibly decided that a cap should be placed on the number of fruit machines in new casinos. Nobody except casino operators wants thousands of fruit machines under one roof.

"High value fruit machines have been shown to be one of the most addictive types of gambling and if they are going to be introduced into the UK for the first time then it needs to be done slowly and with careful regulation. Casino operators are very keen on fruit machines, of course, as they are one of the most profitable aspects of their operation.

"The government has stated that the main purposes of the proposed legislation are to keep crime out of gambling, to ensure gambling is fair to gamblers and to protect children and vulnerable people from the negative effects of gambling. However, overwhelming evidence presented to the committee signalled that a rise in problem gambling was virtually inevitable.

"The Salvation Army is not surprised that gambling experts, and the joint committee of MPs and Lords has accepted that problem gambling will rise as a result of some of the measures included in the draft Bill. It is disappointed, however, that this is seen as an acceptable price to pay for more gambling opportunities, especially given the lack of public demand for them.

"An NOP poll commissioned by The Salvation Army found that 93 per cent of the public felt that there were enough opportunities to gamble in the UK already. This lack of demand begs the question as to why potentially harmful expansion is taking place."

Forum Response: GamCare

Peter Cox, managing director of GamCare, said: "The whole idea of the new legislation is to create a more modern entertainment/leisure industry that at the same time, takes into account the need to provide improved services and conditions to protect the young and vulnerable.

"On the important condition that the young and vulnerable will be protected and supported, GamCare supports the principles of these plans for the industry.

"Casinos will be a key part of the new environment and the fact there will be restrictions on the number of slot machines is a sensible way to protect the public.

"By their very nature, slot machines attract players to continue play and if modern, appealing machines became too prevalent too quickly, there could be a considerable increase in problem gamblers.

"It would be better if casino operators accepted that the new environment with the proposed restrictions will be good for their business and that after experience, say two years, the situation is reviewed.

"It is vital that lessons are learnt from the explosion of slot machine gambling that took place in countries like Australia. The UK must not make the same mistakes."