Casinos are seen to be magnets for investment

East Lindsey District Council's bid to build one of 16 smaller casinos on the Lincolnshire coast has made it through to the next round.

Sites in Leicester and Mansfield have also progressed but Derby's bid did not get through. Chesterfield's bid for a super-casino was rejected.

The councils said the developments will attract a large amount of investment.

If we win the licence we will make sure whoever runs the venue acts properly and responsibly Nigel Howells, East Lindsey District Council

More than 60 authorities across the country applied for a licence for the smaller casinos which have jackpot limits of �4,000.

Thirty-one have made it through this first stage.

The 16 licences will be granted in December.

East Lindsey District Council has put forward a proposal based around the Skegness and Mablethorpe area.

Chief executive Nigel Howells, said: "We are obviously delighted to make it this far but there is more work to do to make sure we get the licence.

'Small risk'

"It will bring 200 jobs and hundreds of thousands of pound of investment and expand the tourist base in East Lincolnshire.

He rejected the suggestion that the casino could bring social problems to the area.

"There is a risk with any new venture but the evidence from around the world shows this risk is very small.

"If we win the licence, we will make sure whoever runs the venue acts properly and responsibly."

Head of Derby's Riverlights regeneration project, John Cadwallader, said: "We were going to use the investment and revenue to regenerate the city, particularly the North Riverside area.