NEWCASTLE has been put on the provisional shortlist in the competition to host the UKs first super-casino, it was announced today.

The city joins Blackpool, Brent, Cardiff, Glasgow, Greenwich, Manchester and Sheffield in the race to be home to the money-spinning Las Vegas-style casino.

The Government today revealed that Middlesbrough and Sunderland among an original 27 towns and cities which were in the bidding missed out.

But Middlesbrough has been shortlisted along with South Tyneside and Scarborough in a provisional 31 potential sites to host a new generation of "large" and "small" casinos.

The announcement comes amid warnings that increasing numbers of Britons are getting into difficulties with gambling, particularly linked to the boom in internet casinos.

Gambling advice charity GamCare said that the total number of people approaching it for counselling rose 41.3 per cent from 2004, to 6,563 in 2005, and a growing proportion of those seeking help are women.

Campaigners fear that more people will be sucked into financial difficulties with the creation of a new giant regional gambling venue with 1,250 unlimited jackpot slot machines.

Some 27 councils applied to host the super-casino, and the Millennium Dome, Blackpool, Glasgow and Manchester are thought to be among the front-runners.

Only one super-casino is initially being permitted under the terms of the Gambling Act, and the Casino Advisory Panel is expected making its final recommendation before the end of the year.

Large venues will be allowed up to 150 machines offering jackpots of up to 4,000, while the smaller versions will be permitted 80.