UK based casinos are set to open their doors on the 4th of July, strictly following Covid-19 safety measures where All the casinos in the country have been closed since the 23rd of March in support of the national effort to contain the virus.
The authorities confirmed last month that hospitality and leisure facilities, such as casinos, may resume operations from 4 July and casino operators have confirmed that they are ready to to reopen for business activities.
Strict hygiene and social distancing measures will be ensured for the safety of staff and customers, this will include the use of hand sanitizers by customers before entering the casino, as well as when joining and leaving a gaming table, where one person will be allowed to enter at a time with two-metre social distancing enforced in any queues, a table capacity limits will also be enforced to reduce the risk of infection, while face masks will be made available to customers on request, the floor layouts will also be designed to ensure social distancing at all times and gaming devices will be cleaned after each play session, screens may also be used where necessary to protect staff and customers and maintain social distancing.
BGC’s chief executive, Michael Dugher said: “Nothing is more important to the casino sector than the safety of staff and customers. I know that the casino operators have been working tirelessly to ensure that when they do reopen for business again, every possible measure will be in place to ensure the health and safety of everyone who enters the premises – from the availability of hand sanitisers and protective equipment to adherence to the latest Government current social distancing rules.
“Casinos make a significant contribution to the economy, including through taxation and employment, as part of the leisure, hospitality, entertainment and tourism sectors. They have also played a hugely important role, not just in the national effort to combat covid-19 by keeping their doors shut since March, but also through their support for communities – for example with the provision of food from their kitchens and the use of their venues.
“It is welcome that they are in line to reopen again from 4 July, but the message to government now is that they are ready, willing and able to open safely.
“We know that the casino sector faces some very tough times ahead and the threat posed by covid to many businesses won’t go away quickly. That’s why we would also urge the Government to continue to be flexible in their approach to the hospitality and leisure industry as its furlough scheme is wound down. Even though they will be ready to open their doors on 4 July, casinos will still be forced to operate at a reduced capacity for some time to come because of the need to maintain social distancing. We would urge the Chancellor to keep being flexible and continue providing support as the country emerges from the pandemic.”
