A year after Glasgow missed out on the chance to host the UK's only super casino, when rival city Manchester won the bid the city, the city on the banks of the river Clyde has rallied to announce plans for a new £25 million casino.

The Alea Glasgow, which will be Scotland's largest casino, will have more than 150 staff.

However predictably, not everyone north of the border is celebrating.

Anti-Poverty campaigners – The Poverty Alliance - voiced fears about the types of jobs being created and possible rises in problem gambling.

Along with a main gaming floor and gaming machines, the venue has three bars, a restaurant and a live music room.

The casino, situated on the city's Springfield Quay, is owned by London Clubs International, whose US parent company owns the famous Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Director Paul Rety said: "I'm confident that Alea Glasgow is going to be a huge boost for the city, offering Glaswegians an entirely new entertainment experience."

Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said there was a very sizeable opportunity for "this sort of business".
 
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "The casino at Springfield Quay has brought hundreds of jobs - through its construction and now on opening - to Glasgow, and is the latest sign of the ongoing regeneration of the Clyde and the city."

However, Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, cautioned that with all regeneration project, there needed to be a proper analysis of "potential harm, as well as benefits".

He added: "We're not complaining about 150 jobs, but we need to ask what kind of jobs they are, are the wages decent and is there potential for career development - are they the type of jobs that Glasgow wants to attract?

"Glasgow has a reputation for being a vibrant city, with both culture and entertainment - but I think we have to be careful about going down the road of creating lots of gambling houses.

"There is the potential for increased debt among lower income customers."

Glasgow already has five main casinos and a number of smaller ones also.