Australia's Richest Man Aims for British Casinos
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Kerry Packer's bid to become a major owner of casinos in Britain took another step today when plans were announced for a AU$128.3 million development in England's Midlands. Mr Packer already has licences for casinos in Newcastle and Swansea in equal partnership with British entrepreneur Damian Aspinall. Today's announcement of the Brierley Hill complex near Birmingham is by far the biggest of the ventures as Mr Packer plans to jump in on expected massive changes to British gaming laws next year. Australia's richest man, who already owns Melbourne's Crown Casino and is close to securing control of Burswood Casino in Perth, is aiming for more. "With potential for the modernisation of gaming laws that's been talked about for the last four years finally coming close to the wire, we're starting to really ramp up our efforts," said Andrew MacDonald from Mr Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH). "The list is fairly extensive as to what we're looking at. We'd take as many as we could, to be blunt. We'd just like to be a player in this market and if it so happens that we end up being one of the biggest and the best, then all the better." The proposed law changes are expected to be in place next year, when Packer and Aspinall hope to open the 4650 square metre Newcastle complex, The Gate, while Salubrious Place in Swansea is expected to be twice that size but will not be finished until 2006 at the earliest.Brierley Hill will cover 23,225 square metres and include eight restaurants, an 80-bed hotel, a 1000-seat theatre and a casino. An official release from CPH and Aspinall said Brierley Hill was one of an intended portfolio of 12 to 16 sites across Britain. The biggest change in the proposed new laws will lift the current maximum of 10 machines with a limited payout of STG2000 ($A5130) to allow 1250 machines per establishment with unlimited prizes. The laws restricting casinos to certain areas will also be lifted, as will membership rules and the curbs on advertising and promotions. "This brings in a new age of gaming and leisure facilities within the UK," Mr MacDonald said. "If we've got the prospect of being a major player in that, we think it's a good business, it's one that we understand." Mr MacDonald said the British government was committed to socially responsible gambling. "They will introduce gaming in a responsible manner with strict codes of practice," he said. Mr Packer's relationship with Mr Aspinall goes back many years to a close friendship with his father, the late John Aspinall, who has been credited with virtually founding Britain's gambling industry in the 1960s at his Mayfair gaming club. Damian Aspinall now owns the Mayfair club and founded Aspinall's online casino.
SOURCE: The Australian.
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