CASINO operators hoping to cash in on the proposed relaxation of gambling laws are attempting to try their hands in Wirral, the Globe has learnt.

Talks have already taken place between a London-based property developer and a casino investment company about the possibility of opening an 80,000sq ft casino in Birkenhead.

The town already has Stanley Casino operating in Oxton Road but the new development would be more than ten times larger.

The casino is to be part of a larger leisure complex called Europa Plaza that will cost between £30m and £40m.

Outline planning permission has already been approved for the development that will be situated on two plots of vacant land next to Conway Park station and Europa Pools.

The letting agent for Europa Plaza, Jeremy Barnett, said: "It is a very exciting prospect. I have been in contact with a casino company in the UK and I am still in talks with them.

"We could have something up to about 80,000sq ft but that is obviously subject to negotiations.

"It rests entirely on the change in gambling regulations, so we are waiting to see what happens.

"We are still in the early stages of talks and there is still a lot to do and a lot of phases to go through."

Two other Wirral sites have also been linked to casino developments.

Neptune Development bosses have considered the possibility of a casino as part of their New Brighton regeneration masterplan but said they have not yet spoken to any casino operators. Neptune Devel-opment's chief executive Steve Parry said: "A casino was just one of the things that has been considered for the site but the scheme is in no way dependant on it."

Consultants drawing up a masterplan for Hoylake and West Kirby in the run-up to the Open Golf Championship have also looked at the possibility of a gaming house to boost the local leisure and entertainment scheme but their plans were heavily criticised by local politicians when the scheme was presented to the public in May.

Birkenhead MP Frank Field believes there are already plenty of opportunities available for people who want to gamble.

Mr Field has warned that larger casinos could attract 'a shadowy element' and has attacked the Government's plans to relax gambling laws as madness.

He said: "We do not know the effect of these larger casinos and we do not know if they will work the way the Government has said they will.

"It would be madness to open the floodgates without first knowing the consequences."