The Prime Minister's comments in the House of Commons will be a huge boost to campaigners determined keep the fight alive for a Las-Vegas style casino to be built in the Lancashire resort.

Manchester was recommended by the Casino Advisory Panel in January - much to the shock of frontrunners Blackpool and the Dome in London.

The plans were, however, thrown into disarray last month when the House of Lords rejected the legislation needed to allow Manchester and 16 other chosen towns to get their new casino licenses.

The government has said it will bring back its casino proposals after the local elections but Blackpool believes it has been given an opportunity to get the decision on the siting of the super-casino changed.

The issue was raised at the weekly Prime Minister's questions on Wednesday by Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Joan Humble.

She asked: "Will he take into account the opinions strongly expressed both in this House and in the other place that the new super-casino should be located in an area where the social impact will be minimised and the regeneration potential maximised?"

Mr Blair replied: "I am entirely sympathetic to the concerns that Blackpool has expressed.

"It is a pity that we ended up with Manchester being the site for the super-casino - although I think that it is perfectly justified there - and Blackpool unable to make the regeneration plans that it wants to make.

"As we have said, we shall consult carefully and come back with proposals after 3 May, which we have to do because of purdah.

"Casinos - especially when they bring regeneration with them - are not something that is against the proper norms of society, but something that can, in places such as Blackpool and Manchester, bring in much needed private investment and regeneration that will help to provide jobs and high living standards for people."