If you fancy a game of poker or a go at the roulette wheel but don’t wish to upset the man upstairs then maybe the South American state of Guyana isn’t the place for you.

Four religious grouping in the small nation have joined forces in an attempt to get the Government to withdraw plans to introduce casino gambling.

In a joint statement, the Bahai, Christian, Hindu and Muslim faiths expressed strong opposition to the contentious casino gambling legislation down for discussion at today’s sitting of Parliament in the capital Georgetown.

The groups have agreed to use fasting as well as prayer and an all night vigil pressurise the government to scrap the Bill.

The religious leaders say the government had presented no evidence to back its claims of enormous economic benefits from casino gambling.

They said they were also annoyed that the government had no strategies to deal with negative social consequences of the high stakes gambling it wants to introduce.

Guyanan Prime Minister Sam Hinds caused a stir last week when he said he didn’t think discussing the subject with the Christian community in particular would be productive because of the uncompromising stance of the religious groups.

The main opposition party – the People’s National Congress – has appealed to people to swarm Georgetown’s commercial center and block roads leading to the capital in a two day protest against the Governmen’s proposals.

Guyana has a population of just three quarters of a million people and the Government say the introduction of casinos would boost the standard of living for all.