UK land-based casino and bingo hall operators caught some great news this week when government officials lifted its most recent coronavirus closure notice. Though they’ll be allowed to open their doors again, the casinos and bingo halls will still be operating under some restrictions and will not be at full capacity. Regardless, it’s an era when land-based casino operators are taking their good news wherever they can get it.
At the beginning of January, the UK went into its third nationwide lockdown as new variants of the dreaded virus began taking off in the country. Casinos and racetracks, which had not really recovered from the last lockdown, were deemed non-essential businesses and were forced to close their doors once again. Other entertainment businesses, such as bars, night clubs, and movie theaters were similarly impacted by the closure.
Though they’ll be allowed to reopen, UK bingo halls and casinos will still be operating in a heavily restricted environment. Customers at these establishments will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing, and they won’t be operating at anything resembling full capacity.
Despite the restrictions on reopening, Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) Chief Executive Michael Dugher hailed the notice as good news in an interview with iGamingBusiness saying, “It’s great news that most of the UK’s casinos are finally able to re-open – and is a testament to the hard work that staff have put in making them Covid-secure. As well as providing excellent entertainment for their customers, casinos are a major contributor to the UK economy, something which will be vital in the months ahead as the government tries to repair the damage done to the nation’s finances by Covid-19.”
Though UK casinos and bingo halls are allowed to reopen for now, there are not guarantees as to how long this current reopening will last.