Ministers have promised to strictly limit the number of Las Vegas-style casinos opening in Britain.

Tessa Jowell told a meeting of Labour MPs that amendments to the Gambling Bill will ensure that super casinos are introduced only as "pilot schemes".

She added that a package of concessions, would also guarantee that there would be no proliferation of medium-sized high street casinos.

Richard Caborn, the culture minister is expected to tell the Commons committee examining the bill today that just eight super casinos will be built under the pilot scheme.

Previously, the government had indicated the number would be between 20 and 40.

Jowell said that the changes were an "example of grown-up politics" in which the government showed that it had listened to concerns from MPs and religious groups opposed to the proposals.