Glasgow City Council spent between a third and a quarter as much on its pitch to host the UK‘s first super-casino as its rivals, despite being one of the favourites to win the bid.

Figures published before a parliamentary committee yesterday showed that while Glasgow spent GBP 50,000, Blackpool shelled out GBP 200,000 and Manchester, which became the surprise winner, had invested GBP 150,000.

In its feedback to a Lords committee on the bidding process, Glasgow City Council also complained that it had been marked down for not having enough public support, despite having conducted a survey of more than 1,000 residents and a separate poll of business.

The council had previously suggested that the Scottish Executive’s lack of official endorsement was behind its failure to win the bid.

However, its modest expenditure will fuel speculation the council did not invest enough in its bid to win, despite major international casino owners including Sands LV and MGM Grand expressing a „clear market interest“ to operate in Glasgow.