Big time live poker in the UK has taken a massive blow after the The House of Lords rejected the Government’s proposal for a super-casino.

In a narrow defeat masterminded by Liberal Democrats and the Bishops, the proposal, steered by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, was sent back to the Commons.

A super-casino, along with 16 other smaller regional operations, had been planned for Manchester, and doubts now hang over the future of the projects.

It had been hoped that the super-casino would provide Las Vegas style gambling with slot machines, and more importantly a large capacity card room.

The developments in the House of Lords will come as a personal blow to Jowell, who had championed the growth of gambling in the UK.

The proposal was rejected on various grounds with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams saying: “My objection rather is that the sleight of hand by the whole business of the gambling industry has become coupled with the regeneration theme, in ways which I find quite baffling.”

And he continued strongly on the “social impact” theme: “Addiction is the nursery of crime as well as of poverty.”

At this stage it seems that the proposal will need to be amended, possibly, with plans for the super-casino being dropped in favour of the smaller projects already selected by the Casino Advisory Panel.

The casino plans will now be considered by a joint committee of MPs and peers, so it’s a case of watch this space for now…