BLACKPOOL Borough Council has launched a three-fold consultation campaign to find out if residents want to take a gamble on resort casinos.

The council is inviting residents and Blackpool businesses to attend special meetings at the Town Hall, write in, or e-mail views before April 9 as part of a consultation process on proposals to build Las Vegas-style casinos in the town.

Coun Philip Dunne, chairman of the council's commerce service development committee, said: "This is the most important decision the town has had to make in the last 100 years. The decision we as a town take will have a huge impact on our future."

The council wants to gather people's views while it waits for the government's response to the Budd Report, which recommended relaxing current gambling rules.

And according to a council spokesman, if the Home Office accepts the report's recommendations -- such as changing the limit of the number of casinos in a town -- large casino resorts in the UK would become possible.

The council plans to hold several consultation meetings in the council chamber at Blackpool Town Hall, starting at 2pm.

The first meeting on March 5 will be for those in the licensed trade, such as pub and club operators. Guesthouse owners, hoteliers and other holiday accommodation providers can attend a meeting on March 12, and the general public are invited to two meetings on March 19, at 2pm and 7pm.

Shopkeepers and business owners will be able to give their views on March 26. And the final public meeting for churches and faith representatives will be held at 2pm on April 9.

More information about the meetings is available by phoning Jon Huck on (01253) 477121.

But Blackpool Coalition Against Gambling Expansion (BCAGE) spokesman Steven Bate said a full debate which presented both sides of the argument to the public was needed rather than meetings where the public simply aired their views to the council.

"There is a consultation but there is not a debate, so how can the council come to a measured decision?" he asked.

And he added that BCAGE plans to hold its own public meeting at All Saints Church, North Drive, Anchorsholme, at 2pm on Saturday, February 23.