LONDON'S Millennium Dome is the official favourite to become the country's first Las Vegas style "super-casino".

The Greenwich venue is leading Glasgow, Blackpool and Sheffield after the first round of judging by the Casino Advisory Panel.

Wembley Stadium, in the London borough of Brent, was ranked fifth.

The announcement came after weeks of controversy over the deputy prime minister John Prescott's stay at the US ranch of Dome owner Philip Anschutz.

Entrants were judged against eight different criteria and were awarded marks out of 10.

The Dome - which scored a total of 67 - failed to be awarded full marks for any of the criteria and leads second placed Glasgow by one.

Only one super-casino - with up to 1,250 jackpot slot machines - will be built.

Another 16 large and small casinos will be granted licenses under the new Gambling Act.

The boroughs of Dartford and Newham made the shortlist for these licences, along with 29 other councils.

The Casino Advisory Panel looked at 67 licence applications from local authorities countrywide.

The shortlist of eight was originally announced on May 24, but Panel chair Stephen Crow said there had been some "confusion" in the consultation process and the shortlist would reopened to previously unsuccessful candidates.

"It should be noted that the shortlists previously announced have been confirmed and the further period for submissions will not affect the position of those already on the shortlists," Prof Crow said.

"Rather, it is an opportunity for non short-listed local authorities to submit further information subject to the detailed requirements set out below."

They now have until August 14 to make their case. A final decision will be made by the Government in October.

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: "I am particularly pleased that the Panel has clearly looked beyond the recent controversy surrounding the Greenwich proposal based on the Dome, and has clearly weighed the merits of what is proposed there."