The football club hopes to be at the complex at the start of next season

A new ground for Coventry City, where concerts will also be held, is being built under the �113m Arena project.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has now told MPs there will only be eight Las Vegas-style "super casinos" in the UK at first, rather than up to 40.

But Arena Coventry says it is confident it fits the government's criteria.

Gaming problems

The stadium project, which also involves building conference facilities, is a joint venture between the city council, the football club and other businesses.

Chief executive of Arena Coventry Ltd, Paul Fletcher, said: "The government is indicating that only eight resort casinos are to be initially allowed to operate and so far we have met all the criteria they have set.

"The Arena complex is part of a regeneration scheme, it is part of a larger leisure complex, the scheme is out-of-town and it is a destination.

"Along with all of this, we have chosen the Isle of Capri as the operator which has an excellent record in identifying and tackling compulsive gaming problems.

"The company is also a true resort casino operator and not a Las Vegas-based operator, which there seems to be a lot of concern about."

The government's Gambling Bill has faced opposition from MPs, including Labour members, who fear it will lead to an increase in gambling addicts.

The Jaguar Arena project is due to be finished in time for the football club to move to the ground at the start of next season in 2005.