The government has published a new report outlining alternatives to regional casino-led regeneration – while an announcement from culture secretary Andy Burnham about the decision to scrap the Manchester supercasino is awaited.

The publication itself was commissioned by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown in July 2007 to examine whether deprived areas that hoped to host a regional casino could be equally well served by other forms of regeneration, such as retail and commercial development or housing-led regeneration.

After saying that it would be challenging for any alternatives to achieve the scale of economic benefits that could be secured through a regional casino, the report goes on to say that “once potential economic and social costs of a regional casino are included, and a package of alternative options considered, the difference can be reduced and even eliminated”.

According to the Guardian, Manchester and Blackpool are to be offered “multimillion pound regeneration packages” in recompense for vetoing the supercasino.

The newspaper reported that Manchester could receive a £10m boost for its Sports City project and that the life of urban regeneration company New East Manchester, which was due to close shortly, could be extended until 2014.

Blackpool will reportedly be told that it can go ahead with a £300m regeneration scheme, which includes an £82m investment in new sea defences.

Burnham’s announcement is expected to be made before the end of the day (26 Feb).