London (Reuters) - The UK government finally axed controversial plans for Britain's first Las Vegas-style supercasino on Tuesday as it gave the green light to build a new generation of 16 smaller casinos. The supercasino was set to be built in Manchester before the idea was effectively killed off by Gordon Brown last July, shortly after he became Prime Minister. Culture minister Andy Burnham finally confirmed the government was scrapping the idea in a statement to Parliament, ending almost a year of deliberation and confusion.

Plans to build a “supercasino” are to be dropped by the British government, but 16 smaller casinos will be given the go-ahead, local The Daily Telegraph has learned this week. A review of the Gambling Act, which cleared the way for eight new ’small’ casinos, eight "large" ones and a massive regional gambling centre in Manchester has concluded all except the supercasino should be granted licences.