There are fears that a new £5m casino in Bradford city centre could fuel gambling addiction and plunge poor people into greater debt.
On Saturday, the Telegraph & Argus revealed that the company behind the prestigious Clermont Club casino in Mayfair, London, plans to create a gaming club in the basement of the Midland Hotel.
Regulations now allow casinos and hotels to be integrated, and the move by Clermont Leisure will see Bradford become home to one of the first establishments of its type in the country.
But Reverend Chris Howson, the Anglican city centre priest for Bradford, said: "From the church's perspective and from my personal experiences of working with people who have become addicted to gambling, I can say that it fuels addictive behaviour and encourages poor people to become even poorer.
"The only people who win at gaming clubs are the people who own the club."
Mr Howson said he feared the casino would create a "seedy atmosphere" in the city centre.
Robert Peel, executive chairman of Peel Hotels, which owns the Midland, believes the casino, which was granted a licence on Friday, will make the hotel more attractive for businesses and visitors.
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