Punters could get the chance to play gambling machines which pay out £4,000 jackpots if a decision is made to bid for a super-casino in Bradford.

A bid for a special licence is being worked on by Council officers which would allow a 30,000 sq ft casino to be built, incorporating 150 big pay-out machines, as part of the city's regeneration plans.

Council chiefs will decide next month whether they intend to bid for a licence - the kind that would allow a casino bigger than the two already in operation in the city, but smaller than the massive regional ones being considered for Blackpool and Wakefield.

Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration and culture, Councillor Simon Cooke, said: "Some days you think it is a real opportunity because of the values that are generated from a casino - it would enable a substantial regeneration scheme and help fund it. But we need to talk to the police and other agencies.

"My gut feeling is that it is probably the right thing to do though I have colleagues who are less convinced."

The plans will not affect those casinos already licensedin the city.

In November 2004 the Gala Casino - then said to be Britain's second-largest - opened at the Leisure Exchange on Vicar Lane. Also licensed in Bradford is Napoleon's in Bolton Road.

The Gambling Act 2005 was only designed to regulate the new, larger casino centres.

Mike Cowlam, of the Council's regeneration and culture team, said: "Government policy is that the new casinos would be located in support of regeneration activity. The locations we are talking about are where a casino might feature as an anchor tenant, so we would probably be expecting to see a casino with associated hotel and conference facilities."

The Council's executive must decide in March and tell the Government by the end of that month. If it wants a licence there is then a nine-month consultation with the police, local businesses and other agencies. It could be three years before the casino is in place.

Coun Cooke said: "I think it is important we make a decision one way or another prior to the deadline - otherwise we do not give ourselves the opportunity.

"We have already got gambling established in the city centre and we would be maintaining something that is already there.

"There are hundreds of these across the US and they are relatively small serving local markets - that what we would be looking at."