UK govt raises question mark over gambling adverts

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) The British government is to review its decision to allow gambling firms to advertise on television, just days after it scrapped plans to build a Las Vegas-style supercasino.

A government spokesman said Britain's new culture, media and sport secretary James Purnell would review the plans, adding there was no timescale set for a final decision and it would ''take as long as it takes''.

Gambling firms were set to be allowed to advertise on TV from September as part of new laws but the plans may have to be shelved for the time being or scrapped if the government has another change of heart.

Britain's new prime minister, Gordon Brown, has sought to distance himself from the gambling-friendly policies of his predecessor Tony Blair, which had drawn criticism from some sections of the media, church leaders and conservative voters.

Last week Brown backed away from the government's previous plans to build a 5,000 square metre casino in Manchester saying there were better ways to encourage regeneration.

The government added today it would wait until after a study on problem gambling, due to be published in September, before pushing ahead with proposals to build 16 other less controversial new casinos across the country.

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