Culture secretary expected to announce plans over the next few weeks to build casinos

Plans for the construction of 16 casinos are likely to go ahead.

Culture secretary James Purnell contacted the local authorities who had applied for housing smaller casinos. All sixteen applicants are said to be still interested in the plans, despite Manchester's supercasino project being scrapped.

The construction of eight small casinos and eight larger casinos is likely to be announced by Purnell over the next few weeks.

Prime minister Gordon Brown ordered a review of the Gambling Act last summer, which put and end to plans for Manchester鈥檚 supercasino.